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Barton 
Cominerce  of  the  Lakes 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


COMMERCE  OP  THE  LAKES^ 

A     BRIEF     SKETCH 

OF  THE 

COMMERCE 

OF   THE 

GREAT 

NOKTHERN  AND  WESTERN 
-     LAKES 

FOR    A   SERIES    OF   YEARS; 

TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED, 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BUSINESS  DONE  THROUGH  BUFFALO 
ON  THE  ERIE  CANAL, 


FOR  THE  YEARS 


1845    AND    184  6. 

ALSO,    REMARKS   AS  TO 

THE    TRUE    CANAL   POLICY 

OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW-YORK. 
BY    JAMES    L.    BARTON. 


BUFFALO: 
PRESS    OF   JEWETT,    THOMAS   &    CO. 

*  Commercial  Advertiser  Office. 

184  7. 


'-J  r 


3^^< 


PREFACE. 


I  have  at  different  times,  through  the  press  of  this  city,  given  slight 
sketches  of  the  Commerce  of  our  "  Inland  seas,"  the  great  Northern  and 
Western  Lakes,  noting  its  growth  from  one  period  to  another.  It  had 
acquired  such  importance  from  the  magnitude  of  its  transactions,  that  there 
was  something  more  due  to  it  than  the  merely  slight  sketches  it  had 
received.  In  May,  1845,  I  published  in  pamphlet  form,  a  running 
account  from  the  facts  I  had  collected  for  a  long  number  of  years  respect- 
ing it,  which  had  been  almost  entirely  forgotten.  The  appearance  of 
this  pamphlet  created  a  strong  sensation  with  the  public,  wh<o  were  sur- 
prised that  a  business  reaching  in  value  at  that  period,  nearly  in  amount 
to  the  foreign  export  trade  of  the  whole  country,  had  so  suddenly 
sprung  up  on  these  Lakes,  unobserved,  in  so  short  a  period.  The  demand 
for  that  pamphlet  has  not  ceased — to  this  day  applications  are  made  tor 
it  from  all  quarters.  It  has  been  read  and  pondered  over,  and  doubts  have 
arisen  whether  it  was  possible  the  facts  stated  could  be  true. 

To  remove  these  doubts,  and  place  this  great  business  before  the  world, 
with  such  evidence  as  would  dispel  them,  I  have  this  year  resum- 
ed  the  subject,  and  gone  much  into  detail  of  what  composes  this 
Commerce.  A  portion*  of  the  matter  contained  in  this  pamphlet  has 
already,  within  a  few  days,  appeared  in  a  series  of  numbers  in  the  columns 
of  the  Commercial  Advertiser  of  this  city.  A  very  general  expression  of 
my  fellow  citizens  has  been  made  to  me,  to  revise  and  extend  these  series 
by  more  detailed  exhibits,  in  kind,  of  what  forms  this  business  :  that  these 


891168 


PREFACE. 

'important  facts  and  interesting  reminiscences  may  be  placed  in  a  more 
convenient  form,  and  safer  depository  than  a  newspaper.  I  have  complied 
with  their  desire.  In  doing  so,  I  must  in  justice  to  myself,  beg  leave  to 
say,  it  has  no  pretensions  to  literary  merit.  I  only  claim  the  merit  of 
having  closely  observed,  like  a  business  man,  the  changes  that  are  rapidly 
going  on  in  the  hitherto  little  known  regions  of  the  West :  for  the  truth- 
fulness of  its  statements,  thousands  are  ready  to  avouch. 

I  desire  the  reader  to  give  the  table  appended,  a  careful  exammation, 
and  he  will  see  that  this  commerce  of  the  Lakes  is  not  local  or  confined  to 
any  one  Slate,  but  that  it  is  the  principal  channel  of  a  great  many  States, 
who  use  it  most  extensively  for  the  transacting  of  their  business. 

J.  L.  BARTON. 

Buffalo,  February,   1847. 


A    BRIEF    SKETCH 

OF   THE 

COMMERCE  OF  THE   LAKES 

AXD 

THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


Last  May  I  published,  in  pamphlet  form,  a  letter, 
addressed  to  the  Hon.  Robert  McClelland,  Chairman 
of  the  Com.  on  Comm.erce,  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, Washing-ton,  relative  to  the  value  and  importance  of 
the  Commerce  of  the  g-reat  Western  Lakes.  In  that 
letter  I  g-ave  a  hasty  sketch  of  the  rise  andg-rowth  of  this 
commerce,  obtained  from  personal  knowledge  and  collec- 
tion of  statistics  for  a  great  many  years,  antecedent,  and 
down  to  the  close  of  1845.  In  the  October  number  of 
Hunt's  valuable  Magazine,  it  was  published  very  much  at 
large, — and  in.  this  manner  secured  from  loss  important 
statistical  facts,  which  will  be  of  great  importance  at  some 
coming  period,  when  the  future  historian  shall  write  the 
early  history  of  the  Western  country :  valuable,  not  oi^ily 
for  this  purpose,  but  for  a  greater,  as  forming  a  basis  and 
safe  guide  to  legislators,  national  and  state,  and  others,  in 
devising  measures  to  bring  into  full  operation  the  vast  and 


D  COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 

inexhaustible  resources  of  this  great  and  rapidly  growing 
portion  of  our  country. 

I  now  propose  to  continue  this  subject  by  an  exhibit  of 
the  business  of  1846.  The  great  increase  this  year,  in  all 
the  more  valuable  agricultural  productions  over  former 
years,  cannot  fail  to  attract  public  attention  to  the  impor- 
tance of  this  growing  trade,  and  shadow  forth  the  value 
of  the  great  West  to  the  mercantile,  manufacturing  and 
commercial  interests  of  the  sea-board. 

The  West ! — a  name  given  only  a  few  years  since  to  a 
remote,  boundless  and  unsettled  wilderness,  inhabited  only 
by  roving  bands  of  wild  Indians  and  savage  animals, — 
visited  only  by  the  Indian  trader,  or  some  romantic  spirit 
pleased  with  the  novelty  of  an  adventure  into  unknown 
regions, — a  country  which  it  appeared  centuries  must  pass 
away  before  settlement  and  civilization  would  occupy  it — 
has  suddenly,  as  if  by  magic,  with  the  powerfiri  aid  of 
steam,  and  the  indomitable  enterprise,  industry  and  perse- 
verance of  a  free  people,  with  the  blessings  of  free  institu- 
tions, securing  to  all  the  fruits  of  their  own  labor,   been 
reclaimed  from  the  wilderness.     All  physical  difficulties 
have  been  overcome,  this  vast  region  of  country  has  been 
penetrated  in  all  quarters,  and  in  the  place  where  once  stood 
the  wigwam  of  the  savage,  is  now  found  the  school-house, 
the  mechanic  shop,  the  temples  of  religion  and  science,  and 
cities  and  towns,  containing  from  500  to  15,000  souls,  dot 
the  land  in  large  numbers.     Roads  have  been  constructed, 
rivers  improved,  mills  erected,  and  in  every  direction  is 
heard  the  whistling  of  the  free,  the  intelligent  and  indus- 
trious farmer,  as  he  pursues  his  laborious  but  independent 
occupation.     Literally  have  they  caused  the  '-wilderness 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  7 

to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose,"  and  become  the  granary 
of  the  Union. 

It  is  now  my  pm*pose  to  exhibit  facts  to  show  that  the 
mig-hty  West  is  not  a  mere  poetical  phrase,  but  is  a  sub- 
stantial country,  rich  in  resources,  and  possessed  by  an 
enterprising-  population,  who  are  successfully  developing* 
them  more  rapidly  than  the  history  of  the  world  can  any 
where  else  present. 

To  make  the  change  which  has  taken  place  in  the 
West,  within  a  few  short  years,  more  striking,  I  will 
present  some  comparative  statements  of  their  exjDorts  at 
different  periods : 

In  1835,  the  whole  exports  from  the  West,  came  princi- 
pally from  the  Northern  or  Lake  portion  of  Ohio.  The 
amount  which  passed  through  this  city  to  tide  water,  via 
the  Erie  Canal,  of  the  principal  articles,  consisted  of  the 
following : 


Flour bbls  *86,233 

Wheat bu  *98,071 

Staves lbs  2,565,272 

Corn bu  14,579 


Provisions bbls  6,562 

Ashos casks  4,419 

Wool lbs  140,911 

But.,  Cheese  &  Lard, . .  1,030,632 


*Equivalent  to  543,§15  bushels  of  Grain. 

The  tolls  collected  at  the  Buffalo  office  that  year 
amounted  to  $106,213  35 ;  the  total  number  of  tons  of  all 
articles,  from  all  sources,  cleared  at  Buffalo  that  year  was 
49,478 ;  the  valuation  of  property  I  have  not  for  that  year, 
but  in  the  year  1837,  the  value  of  all  the  property  sent 
towards  tide  water  on  the  Erie  Canal  from  Buffalo,  was 
$3,286,128. 

In  1845  and  1846,  Ohio  and  the  other  States  around 
these  Lakes,  sent  to  Eastern  markets,  through  tlie  same 
channel  the  following  articles : 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


In  1S45. 


Flour bbls      717,466 

Wheat bii   L354,990 

Staves lbs  88,296,431 

Corn bu         33,069 


Provisions bbls  6S,000 

Ashes casks  34,602 

Wool   lbs  2,957,761 

But.,  Cheese  and  Lard  6,597,007 


In  1846 

Flour bbls    1, 280,897 

Wheat bu    3,611,224 

Staves lbs  65,958,932 

Corn bu     1,119,689 


Provisions bbls  99,339 

Ashes casks  22,465 

Wool lbs     3,762,829 

But.,  Cheese  and  Lard  12,713,662 


The  entire  amount  of  flour,  wheat  and  other  grain 
exported  by  the  Western  States,  throug-h  the  Lakes  in 
1846,  for  Canada  and  our  own  markets,  reduced  to  bush- 
els, will  exceed  15,000,000  of  bushels. 

Having-  received  a  letter,  dated  29di  January  ultimo, 
from  Col.  Abert,  the  head  of  the  Topographical  Depart- 
ment at  Washington,  propounding  some  questions  to  me  in 
relation  to  this  commerce,  I  will  give  his  questions  in  the 
order  in  which  they  were  presented,  with  the  answers  to 
each,  as  furnished  by  me,  as  the  most  perfect  method  of 
arriving  at  the  particulars  of  the  business,  accompanied 
with  such  other  details  I  had  in  my  possession,  but  which 
I  could  not  furnish  him,  for  want  of  time. 

Question  1st. — "  The  commerce  of  the  Lakes — returns 
in  kind  and  quantities^  as  far  as  practicable,  and  for  the 
years  1841,  '42  '43,  '44,  '45  and  '46." 

"  As  the  greatest  portion  of  the  export  commerce  of  the 
Lakes  passes  through  this  city  on  its  way  to  tide  water, 
(large  quantities  also  pass  the  Welland  Canal  to  Canadian 
ports,  and  through  Lake  Ontario  to  New  York)  I  will  give 
you,  as  the  best  answer  to  this  question,  the  lake  imports,  in 
kind  and  quantities,  taken  from  the  Custom  House  books, 
for  the  above  series  of  years — remarking,  at  the  same  time, 
that  these  statements  do  not,  by  any  means,  comprise  the 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


whole — that  they  only  give  a  g-eneral  view  of  the  business 
from  year  to  year.  I  also  furnish  you  the  business  done 
from  some  other  ports,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the 
great  difference  these  reports  present  of  the  business  of 
the  same  places,  as  years  roll  on. 

IMPORTS  OF  BUFFALO  FROM  THE  LAKES  IN  184L 


Flour, bbls.     730,040 

Wheat, bush.  1,635;000 

Furs, pks.         4,186 

Butter  and  lard, kgs.       49,336 

Staves 7,860,000 

Whiskey, casks.       19,038 

Seed, "  8,228 

Bacon, "  3,779 

Ashes, "  6,660 


Pork, bbls.  11,752 

Corn, bush.  201,031 

Lumber, feet.  8,000,000 

Hides, 17,.538 

Fish, bbls.  3,501 

Brooms, doz.  5.507 

Oats, bush.  14,144 

Coal, tons.  300 

Rye, bush.  2,140 

"Castings,  iron,wool,  cheese,  lead,  shot,  nails,  barley,  corn- 
meal,  dried  fruits,  glass,  cotton,  feathers,  sheep  pelts,  tanned 
leather,  calf  skins,  beans,  cranberries,  hickory  nuts,  bees- 
wax, peas,  grindstones,  ginseng,  paper  and  paper  rags,  lin- 
seed and  other  oils,  glue  and  glue  pieces,  maple  sugar, 
wooden  ware,  live  cattle,  swine,  and  tobacco,  although  in 
quantities  move  or  less,  have  not  been  specifically  placed  in 
the  statement.  The  estimated  value,  for  this  year,  is 
$10,000,000. 

In  1842. 

The  principal  articles  landed  at  this  port  during  the  season  were  : 


Flour bbls.  734,308 

Beef  and  Pork,.. .  .bbls.  61,150 

Seed, bbls.  12,184 

Fish, bbls.  2,367 

Ashes, cks.  14,590 

Whiskey, cks.  13,687 

Bacon cks.  1,902 

Lead, pigs.  23,926 


Wheat, bush.  1,555,439 

Corn  and  Oats, ....  bush.  454,530 

Barley, bush.  4,710 

Rye, bush.  1,223 

Butter, kegs.  29,874 

do      bbls.  592 

Lard, bbls.  7,405 

do     kegs.  8,331 

Hides, 17,491 


Staves, 4,392,000 

"This  list  embraces  an  account  of  the  principal  articles 
only.     I  have  enumerated  a  class  of  articles  in  '41,  received 


10 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


at  this  port  every  year,  of  which  no  particular  statement  is 
made  up.  I  cannot  give  you  the  estimated  vahie  of  the  im- 
ports this  year,  none  having  been  made. 

In  1843 
The  aggregate  of  the  various   articles  which  arrived  is  as  follows  :     ' 


Flour bbls.  917,.517 

Pork, "  41,979 

Beet; "  25,329 

Seed, "  12,239 

Ashes, "  29,940 

Whiskey, "  8,719 

Cranberries,. "  3,281 

Fish, "  2,857 

Tallow, «  2,387 

Hams   and  Bacon,    cks.  4,814 

Hides, 32,447 

Hemp, bales,  865 

Tobacco, hhds.  2,097 

Lead, pigs,  23,753 

Staves, 3,500,000 

Wheat, bush.  1,827,241 


Corn, 
Oats, . 
Rye, . . 
Butter, 
Lard, . 
do  . 
Wool, 


kgs. 

a 

bbls. 
.sks. 


223,963 

2,489 

1,332 

17,402 

10,464 

14,125 

4,516 


Cheese, bxs.  9,863 

do        cks.  3,664 

Brooms, doz.  2,128 

Furs  and   skins, ....  pks.  2,343 

Glass, bxs.  2,298 

Shot, kgs.  675 

Pig  iron tons.  1,000 

Coal, tons.  1000 

Nails, kgs.  478 

Paper  rags bales  261 

Leather  principally  skirting  rolls  308 

Lard  and  other  oils,  bbls.  1,316 

Beeswax pkgs.  261 

Nuts, bbls.  100 

Beans, "  342 

Ginseng, pkgs.  304 

Beer, bbls.  51 

Starch, bxs.  104 

Candles "  101 

Feathers, sack  1,153 

Dried  and  other  fruit,  pkgs  735 

Live  hogs, 5,221 

Bacon  and  hams ....  pes.  12,031 


•  "  To  the  above  imports  must  be  added  195  boxes  and 
1 1  tons  bar  soap,  part  of  which  came  fi^m  the  Wabash 
Canal,  having  been  manufactured  at  La  Fayette,  la.,  also 
valuable  invoices  of  hollow  ware  and  other  castings,  hoops, 
hops,  shingles,  grind-stones,  bristles,  corn-meal,  and  broom 
corn,  oars,  and  some  200  boxes  and  barrels  saleratus, 
8,000,000  feet  of  lumber,  and  innumerable  other  articles. 
The  total  value  of  imports  this  year  is  estimated  at 
$10,000,000. 

"  The  stock  of  staves  has  been  much  smaller  this  year 
than  usual.  About  600  tons  of  the  pig  iron  imported,  came 
frotn  the  Rossie  Parish,  St.  Lawrence  county,  N.  Y.,   via 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


11 


the  Welland  Canal,  and  is  now  introduced  among  our  man- 
ufactures under  very  favorable  auspices.  The  quantity 
of  coal  received  is  about  1000  tons,  two-thirds  of  which 
came  from  Ohio,  and  the  balance  (Blossburgh,  Pa.,) 
reached  this  city  by  the  same  channel  as  the  Rossie  iron. 


In  1844. 


Flour bbls  915,000 

Pork "  51,478 

Beef "  28,432 

Ashes "  29,330 

Seed "  15,472 

Whiskey "  6,315 

Lake  fish "  2,783 

Cranberries "  3,336 

Tallow "  2,570 

Dried  fruit "  345 

Oil "  1,663 

Hides 29,080 

Staves M  6,543 

Lumber ..      "  6,130 

Shingles "  269 

Lead pigs  6,276 

Copper "  50 

Shot bxs  368 

Wool bales  12,340 

Feathers "  1,416 

Hemp "  235 

Leather rls  1,763 

Brooms doz  1,280 

Pig  iron tons  1,915 


Wheat bu  2,177,500 

Corn «  137,978 

Oats "  18,017 

Rye "  1,617 

Barley "  456 

Potatoes "  2,113 

Butter kgs  17,427 

Lard "  8,223 

Do : bbls  8,553 

Cheese bxs  13,206 

Do cks  2,630 

Hams  and  bacon ....  6,170 

Do ps  24,960 

Live  hogs 4,773 

Live  cattle  and  sheep  . . .  230 

Tobacco hhds  262 

Do bxs  166 

Coal tons  1,-524 

Starch bxs  2,920 

Do bbls  164 

Candles bxs  432 

Soap "  490 

Glaes "  3,624 

Ginseng pks  380 


*'  In  addition  to  the  above,  there  were  landed  here  from 
the  West,  140  pks  beeswax,  105  do  oil  cake,  320  cords 
hemlock  bark,  40  bales  hops,  395  pks  saleratus,  50,000 
sheejj  pelts,  the  usual  amount  of  furs,  paper  rags, 
beans,  &c.,  intermixed  with  our  multifarious  western  im- 
poris ;  30  lihds  of  Louisiana  sugar  was  also  observed 
among  the  imports.  It  reached  this  place  via  Cleveland 
and  the  Ohio  canal. 


12 


COMMERCE    OP    THE    LAKES 


Low  prices  have  universally  ruled  this  season,  thus 
rendering"  the  value  of  our  imports  less  than  some  previ- 
ous seasons.  The  value  of  imports  this  year  is  estima- 
ted at  88,000,000. 

In  1845. 


Flour bbls 

Pork " 

Beef " 

Seed " 

Whiskey " 

Salt " 

Fish " 

Tallow 

Oil " 

Ashes 

Hams  and  bacon 

Do 

Wool 

Lead 

Leather pkgs 

Feathers " 

Hemp bales 

Brooms doz 

Hides » 

Starch bxs 

Do bbls 

Glass bxs 

Iron tons 


cks 


ps 

bales 

pigs 


746,750 

28,930 

28,130 

13,840 

11,750 

5,230 

3,755 

2,565 

1,140 

32,900 

2,925 

9,330 

16,185 

14,810 

5,268 

2,775 

2,620 

2,335 

43,590 

2,780 

207 

3,250 

2,390 


Wheat 

Corn 

....      bu 

Oats 

a 

Potatoes 

ii 

Rve 

a 

Barley 

Coal 

a 

. . . .       tns 

Staves 

M 

Lumber 

Butter 

Do 

....  M  ft 

...     kgs 
. . .     bbls 

Lard 

(( 

Do 

kffs 

Cheese 

. . . .     bxs 

Do 

cks 

Shingles  .... 

Tobacco 

Do 

...      M 

...   hhds 
.  . .      bxs 

Shot 

kifs 

Sugar 

Live  hoo"s. . . . 

...    hhds 

'CD 

Soap 

bxs 

Candles 

" 

1,770.740 

54,200 

23,100 

4,000 

1,170 

456 

3,936 

S,.573 

9.655 

18.455 

310 

7,200 

15,220 

20,667 

2,950 

700 

625 

230 

350 

242 

1,860 

257 

246 


"  To  this  must  be  added  a  g-reat  number  of  unenumera- 
ted  articles  coming-  in  Trom  the  West,  and  the  whole  of 
the  exports  from  Silver  Creek,  Dunkirk,  Barcelona,  &c., 
which  being  within  this  district  do  not  report  to  the  Cus- 
tom House,  and  of  course  form  no  part  of  the  above  im- 
ports. The  articles  thus  omitted  are  pot  and  pearl  ashes, 
cheese,  butter,  beef,  wool,  lumber  in  large  quantities,  and 
many  other  valuable  commodities.  Nearly  the  whole  of 
our  best  cabinet  lumber  is  imported  from  Cattaraugus 
and  Chautauque  counties.  The  pine  is  obtained  from 
Canada. 


AND    THE    ERIE    CA^  AL. 


13 


^'A  valuation  of  the  imports  seems  to  have  been  omitted 
this  year. 

In  1846. 


Flour, bbls.  1,324,529 

Pork  and  bacon, "         80.000 

Beef, "         28,428 

Whiskey, "         15,000 

Wheat, bush.  4,744,184 

Corn. "    1,455,258 

Oats, "       248,300 

Barley, "         47,530 

Rye, "         28,250 

Staves, pes.  10,762,500 

Lumber, ft.  34,536,829 

Shingles, 5,150 

Tobacco, hhds.         3,022 

Lead, pgs.       25,960 

Corn  meal, bbls.         4,381 

Oil, "  781 

Hemp, bis.       26,021 

Feathers, sks.         1,970 

Beeswax, bbls.  611 

Grindstones, tons  350 


Iron, tons         2,290 

Coal, "  4,430 

Leather, rolls         9,090 

Ashes, bbls.       24,612 

Hides, nmbr.       50,535 

Lard lbs.  6,099,171 

Butter, "    3,509,900 

Cheese, "    3,083,000 

Cotton, bales  633 

Wool, "         21,110 

Furs  and  Peltries, . . .  pks.         2,550 

Beans, bbls. 

Sugar, hhds. 

Potatoes, bush. 

Fish bbls. 

Tallow, lbs. 

Broom  Corn, bdls. 

Cranberries, bbls. 

Brooms, doz. 

Copper  Ore, tns. 


Fat  cattle,  hogs,  merchandize,  furniture,  6cc.  &c.,  equal  to . .  pkgs. 


3,120 
395 
8,850 
6,498 
808,860 
8,600 
2,143 
9,665 
170 
54,243 


Forming  a  valuation  of $17,827,810 

"  The  imports  this  year  have  greatly  exceeded  any  for- 
mer one,  and  this  table  does  no  more  embrace  the  whole, 
than  the  tables  of  other  years  do.  The  valuation  placed 
upon  the  repainted  articles  is  $17,827,810.  But  it  is  believed 
that  the  omissions  in  the  reports,  if  all  could  be  ascertained, 
would  swell  the  amount  to  $20,000,000. 

"  The  foregoing"  is  an  account  of  the  commerce  reaching* 
this  port  through  the  Lakes,  for  the  years  indicated. 

"  With  regard  to  the  shipments  of  property  from  this 
port  west,  it  is  next  to  an  impossibility  to  arrive  at  it,  and 
impossible  to  specify  the  articles ;  but  they  embrace  every 
thing  used  by  man.  The  only  manner  •  I  can  get  at  any 
thing  like  the  value  is,    by  taking  the  Canal  imports ;  but 


14  COMMERCE    OF   THE    LAKES 

then,  we  have  extensive  manufactures  in  this  city,  which 
make  and  ship  larg-e  quantities  west,  together  with  large 
supplies  received  from  rail  roads  and  other  sources,  of 
which  no  .accounts  are  kept. 

"  I  give  the  value  of  the  imports  via.  the  canal  into  this 
city,  and,  although  all  is  not  originally  intended  for  the 
Western  markets,  the  quantities  of  our  own  manufactures, 
and  sales  from  our  own  stock,  more  than  equal  wliat  is 
originally  left  here  by  the  canal  for  Buffalo.  The  tonnage 
and  valuation  of  property  entering  this  city  via.  the  Erie 
Canal,  was  in 

TONS.  VALUATION. 

1845 144,413       $10,888,382 

184G 153,761        2.3,199,665 

"  I  will  now  beg  leave  to  call  your  attention  to  some 
reminiscences  connected  with  the  commerce  of  this  port, 
which  may  not  be  altogether  uninteresting  to  you. 

"  The  followino-  is  a  list  of  the  number  of  arrivals  and 
departures  at  this  port,  for  the  years  stated : 

NO.  ARRIVALS  AND  DEPARTURES. 


1815 

64 

1818..., 

100 

1816 

80 

1819 

96 

1817 

100 

Whether  the  arrivals  and  departures  at  Black  Rock  are  in- 
cluded in  this  list,  I  cannot,  at  this  late  day,  say,  but  the 
probability  is  strong  that  they  are ;  as  that  place,  lying  as 
it  does,  at  the  entrance  into  the  Niagara  river,  was  the 
general  shipping  port  and  resort  of  almost  all  the  vessels 
until  1819;  when  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  creek  was  im- 
proved so  as  to  let  them  come  in  here.  Before  this  im- 
provement, nothing  but  the  smallest  kind  of  craft  could  en- 
ter this  creek,  except  immediately  after  the  spring  freshets, 
when  the  bars  at  its  mouth  had  been  washed  away  by  the 


AND   THE    ERIE    CANAL.  15 

current;  vessels  that  did  trade  here  then,  anchored  off  in  the 
lake,  and  their  loading-  was  broug-ht  from  and  sent  to  them 


in  lig-hters. 

1820 

1821 

120 

150 

1824 

1825 

286 

355 

1822 

1823 

200 

236 

1826 

1827 

418 

572 

"This  table  embraces  thirteen  consecutive  years.  At  the 
close  of  this  period,  the  total  number  of  American  vessels, 
of  all  descriptions,  employed  in  the  commerce  of  Erie  and 
the  Upper  Lakes,  was  only  53,  with  an  aggregate  tonnage 
of  3611  tons.  This  meagre  exhibit  is  in  keeping  with  the 
population,  which,  in  1825,  was  ascertained  to  be  constitu- 
ted of  no  more  than  2,412  souls.  At  this  time,  the  number 
will  not  vary  much  either  way  of  35,000.  The  year  1825, 
it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  period  of  the  completion 
of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  above  table  of  commerce  ex- 
tends through  the  first  two  years  of  canal  commerce : 

1841 5290  I  1842 4952 

"  This  year,  vessels  began  to  visit  Lake  Michigan  for 
freights,  instead  of  obtaining  them  from  Ohio,  as  hereto- 
fore. The  length  of  the  voyages,  caused  a  decrease  in  the 
arrivals  and  departures. 


1843 .5884 

1844 5978 


1845 5200 


"The  introduction  of  many  large  new  vessels,  in  the  place 
of  small  old  ones  annually  going  out  of  commission,  a  very 
boisterous  season  of  navigation,  together  with  the  fact  that 
trips  are  more  regularly  made  to  the  Upper  Lake  ]Dorts 
in  search  of  cargoes,  may,  in  a  measure,  account  for  the 
diminished  number  of  arrivals  this  year. 
•  "  The  arrivals  and  clearances,  exports  and  imports,  to  and 
from  Foreign  ports,  during  1846,  were  — 


16  COMMERCE    OF     THE    LAKES. 


American 
British 

vessels . .  . 
do     . .  . 

60 

427 

Tenn 
do 

RED. 

do 

\merican. 

do     ... 

CLEA 

65 

British 
Total 

do     ... 

427 

. .  .vessels  979 

do 

AERIVAIiS. 

nage 5,459 

90,429 


,   6,012 
,  90,429 


tons  192,329 

Value  of  imports 8121,600 

Exports 191,959 

$313,559 

'•  The  cause  of  the  great  amount  of  Foreig-n  tonnag-e  is, 
two  British  steamboats  run  to  and  from  this  port  to  Can- 
ada constantly,  during  the  season  of  navig-ation,  one  making 
two  trips  per  week,  and  one,  a  g-ood  part  of  the  time,  two 
trips  per  day. 

"  The  enrolled  and  licensed  tonnage  in  the  District  of 
Buffalo,  in  1846,  consisted  of — 

Steam  vessels 14,290 

Sail         do 10,513 


Total tons  24,803 

"  The  number  of  arrivals,  Foreig-n  and  coastwise,  at  the 
p#i't  of  Buffalo,  in  1846,  were — 

Steamboats 1310 

Steam  Propellers   200 

Bi :;,-!  and  Schooners 2262 

Slooj)s  and  other  small  craft 85 

Total 3857 

Forming  a  tonnage  of  912,957  tons. 

"  The  number  of  clearances  have  been  about  the  same, 
probably  more,  as  an  unusual  number  of  vessels  wintered 
over  in  this  port  last  year — making  a  total  of  7,714,  form- 
ing an  aggregate  tonnage  of  1,825,914  tons,  arriving  at 
and  de])arting  from  the  port  in  the  year  1846." 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


17 


ERIE  CANAL  COMMERCE  OF  BUFFALO. 

The  followino-  tables  show  the  entire  movement  of  pro- 
perty throug-h  Buffalo  on  the  Erie  canal,  for  the  years  1845 
and  1846.  Aj)])endecl  to  this  pamphlet  is  a  table,  desig*- 
nating-  the  States,  Territories  and  Countries  from  which 

this  property  came,  and  went  to,  and  g-iving  the  quantity 

of  each  article ;  it  also  includes  the  business  of  previous 
years. 

Shipped  from  Buffalo  on  tlie  Erie  Received  at  Buffalo  by  tlie  Erie 

Canal  in  1845  and  IfMn.  Canal  in  184ri  and  18415. 

PRODUCTS  OF  THE  FOREST.       1845.                     184G.  1845.  184fi. 

Furs  and  pelt.  lbs.          545,097        571,342  14,862  30,527 

B'd's  and  Scant,  ft.    19,932,069  19,027,.530  3,140,959  3,119,009 

Shingles,  M 554               401  . .  15 

Timber,  c.  ft 11,445          10,714  ..  58,180 

Staves,  lbs 89,174,110  73,135,932  ..  16,000 

Wood,  cds 980               729  13,025  16,655 

Ashes,  bbls 38,417          24,639  4 

PRODUCTS   OF    AGRICULTURE. 

Pork,  bbls. 28,235          01,492  43  20 

Beet;     "     34,084          28,503  . .  9 

Bacon,   lbs 1,218,811     2,220,673  .,  2,177 

Cheese,  »     2,759,928     4,973,165  7,258  3,142 

Butter,    "     3,397,690     4,658,427  7,565  10,254 

Lard,       "     2,852.441     5,950,.541  200 

Wool,     "     3,441,317     4,085,929  14,913  4,991 

Hides,     "     769,861        788,956  319,272  360,409 

Flour,  bbls r21,891      1,291,233  3,310  7,222 

Wheat,  bu 1,3.34,996     3,613,569  271  376 

Rye,        "    903             1,895  3  4 

Corn,       "    33,094     1,119,689  ..  434 

Barley,    '• 3,683  11,013  6,253 

Other  grain,  bu.  . .             9,040        185,896  10,564 

Bran  &  ship  st.  bu.             3,266            2,550  45,354  8,588 

Peas  and  beans,  "                1,587            6,265  367  41 

Potatoes,  bu 3,445               771  1,706  3,206 

Dried  fruit,  lbs.  . . .             7,837        290,492  807,599  268,395 

Cotton,         " 2.52,983  50,914  123,456 

Tobacco,      " 608,349     2,511,380  120,364  1.52,090 

Clov'r  &  or.  sd.  lb.s.     2,487,336     1,069,423  11,558  50,473 

Flax  seed,  lbs 184,563        971,796  . .  190 

Hops,            "    4,436             2,118  35,085  143,713 

DOMESTIC   MANUKA ClU RKS. 

Domes,  spirits,  gal.        272,336        323,925  17,840  5,800 

Leather,     lbs.....      1,090,548     1,1.37,356  2,081 

Furniture,    " 1,254,764     1,177,273  9,491,372  9,649,943 

B 


18 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


Shipped  rrom]BuflUlo  on  the  Erie 
Canal  in  1845  and  184ri. 


Received  at  Buffaio  on  the  Erie 
Canal  in  1W5  and  1846. 


DOMESTIC  MANUFACTURES.       1845. 

Bar  &  pig  lead,  lbs.        345,387 
Pig  iron,  " 

Iron  ware,  " 

Domes,  woolens,  " 
Domes,  cottons,   " 

Salt,  bu 

Merchandise,  lbs . . 


161,518 

33,779 

23,143 

1,213 


1846. 

516,264 

35,594 

87,802 

5,052 

11,198 


1845. 

110,886 
2,813,046 


582,694 


184C. 


2,765,040 


566,572 


295,125        176,777  100,893,423    116,148,045 

OTHER    ARTICLES. 

Stone,  lime  and 

*^Iay,     ll^s 11,804,950     3,973,966  37,134,4.^)7      28,314,^^86 

Gypsum,  " 1,594            6,410  493,179           200,605 

Mineral  coal,  lbs..      1,954,850     3,274,162  5,222,991        6,086,606 

Sundries,  lbs 0,844,395  10,705,597  6,576,203        2,932,004 

Of  llie  Tonnage  cipareil  from  Bunalo                   lS4u.  IS-iG. 

the  Forest  iiirnished 91.673  77,022 

Agriculture 138,733  310,848 

Domestic  manulactures  . . .      2,817  3,107 

Merchandise 148  88 

Other  articles 10,302  8,9h0 


Of  the  Tonnage  left  at  Buflalo 

the  Forest  furnished 43,466 

Agriculture 2,008 

Domestic  manufactures...  23,779 

Merchandise 50,447 

Other  articles 24,713 


243,673 


144,413 


53,021 

1,699 

22.101 

58,074 

18,821 


400,045 


Total  tons 348,086 

1845. 

Valuation,  property  cleared  from $  9,502,306 

Valuation,  property  lett  al 16,888,382 

Total $26,390,688 

Tolls  received  at  Buffalo 8482,639  04 


153,761 
553,761 

1810. 

$15,014,316 
23.199,665 

$38,214,025 
$763,683  02 


CANAL  COMMERCE  OF  BLACK  ROCK. 

Sliippeil  from  Black  Rork  on  the  Received  al  Black  Rock  by  the 

Erie  Canal  in  184.>  and  lK4fi.  Erie  Canal  in  184.>  and  l«4ti. 

PRODUCTS  OF  THE  FOREST.   1845.       184G.  1845.         184G. 

Furs  and  pelt.  lbs. . .           1,403             8,728  1,250 

Boards  and  scant,  ft.  3,850,809     4,412,917  95,195           200,565 

Shingles,  jr 12                  17  -  73                     64 

Timber,  100  c.  ft. . .       163,700         203,154  72,809            101,143 

Staves,  IJjs 278.000           66,000  122,159 

Wood,cds 12,950           17,310  703                   600 

Ashe.s,  bbls 191'  4 


1845. 

1846. 

114 

169 

19" 

24 

300 

844 

953 

509 

, . 

•• 

180 

1,096 

,  , 

1,305 

1,735 

320,493 

490,546 

3,801 

8,321 

. , 

40 

3,786 

9,428 

5,744 

5,208 

13 

3 

32 

102 

100 

100 

100 

7,790 

AND   THE    ERIE    CANAL.  19 

Shippeil  fiom  Black  K™  t  on  the  Reeeived  »t  Black  Rnck  liy  ti.e 

Ene  Canal  in  1S45  and  1846.  Erie  Canal  in  l>-4.')  and  IMfi. 

PKODUCTS  OK  AGKICUtrURE.      1845.  1846. 

Pork,  bbls 21  22 

Boef,     '«    3 

Bacon,  lbs ..  100 

Cheese,  "   1,350  726 

Butter,    "    . .  3,765 

Lard,      "   328  696 

Wool,     "    58,255  31,957 

Hides,    '•   0,711 

Flour,  bbls 152,795  146,761 

Wheat,  bu 1 8,790  23,797 

Corn,      " 1,400 

Barley,  "   

Other  grain,  bu  ... .                59  729 

Br'n&  ship  stuff,  bu.         98,248  58,284 
Peas  and  beans,  bu . . 

Potatoes,  bu . .  3 

Dried  fruits,  lbs 200 

Cotton,  "    . . . . 

Tobacco,        "    . . . . 

Clov'r  &  gr.  sd.  lbs.             . .  44,440 

MANUFACTURES. 

Domestic  spirits,  gal.          3,744  608                 4,674               1,8-12 

Leather,  lbs 3,453  4,900                11,688                   546 

Furniture,"    101,961  179,362               34,594             31,619 

Bar  and  pig  lead,  lbs.            ..  1,035 

Pig   iron,    lbs ..                          300 

Ironware,    " 1,050                     100               6,100 

Domes,  woolens,  lbs.            . .  2,493 

Salt,bu ..                         500               2,4.55 

Merchandise,  lbs...           3,810  8,182              100,843           184,218 

OTHER   ARTICLES. 

Stone,   lime    and 

clay,  lbs 1,73 1,200     2,.557,910  1,670,200           358,805 

(Jypsum,  " . .  . .                    25,726 

Coal,         " 12,000                36,500 

Sundries," 558,260  489,594             570,070           411,012 

Of  the  Tonnage  cleared  frniii  niack  Rnck  1  S4.5.                                184G. 

the  Forest  furnished 4(),141                      59,926 

Agriculture 18,085                      17,314 

Manufactures 68                             98 

Merchandise 2                               4 

Other  articles 1,146                        1,530 

65,442     78,872 

or  the  Tonnage  left  at  Black  Rnck 

the  Forest  furnished 3.654                        4,045 

Agriculture 10,007                     15,349 


20  COMMERCE    OF   THE    LAKES 

Of  the  Tonnage  left  at  Black  Rock  1845.  1S46. 

the  Manufactures  furnished ...  56  96 

Merchandise 50  91 

Other  articles 1,151  385 

14,918     19,966 

Total  tons, 80,360  98,838 

1845.  1846. 

Vahiation  property  cleared  from $849,443  $804,954 

Valuation  property  left  at 353,679  520,669 

Total $1,203,122  $1,325,623 

Tolls  received  at  Black  Rock $56,582  78  $83,930  27 


As  the  business  done  on  the  Erie  Canal,  throug-h  Buffalo 
and  Black  Rock,  is  literally  the  business  of  one  place,  I 
will  now  consolidate  and  present  it  in  a  condensed  form. 

1845.  1846. 
Tonnage  first  cleared 

from  BulTalo  is 243,643  400,045 

Do.              B.Rock,...     65,442          309,115  78,872        478,917 

Tonnage  left  at  Buffalo  is   144,413  153,761 

Do.       do.     B.  Rock,     14,918  159.331  19,966        173,727 

Total tons  468,446  652,644 

Valuation  property  cl'd 

from  Buffalo $9,502,306  $15,014,316 

Do.       B.Rock....         849,443  804,954  15,819,270 

10,351,749  

Valuation  property  left 

at  Buffalo 16,888,382  23,199,665 

Do.    B.  Rock 363,679  17,242,061         520,669  23,720,334 

Total $27,593,810  $39,539,604 

Tolls  received  at  Buffalo . . .  $482,639.04  763,683.02 

Do.       do.  B.Rock..      56,682.78  83.930.27 

Total $538,221.82  $847,613.29 

The  Canal  opened  April  16,  and  closed  on  the  25tli  No- 
vember, making-  224  days  of  navigation;  deduct  one- 
seventh  for  Sundays,  leaves  192  working-  days.  The  pro- 
perty passing-  each  way  from  B,  and  B.  R.  is  652,644  tons, 
whicli  gives  o,400  tons  as  the  labor  that  was  pcrfoi-med 
each  day,  during-  tlie  wliole  season  of  navig-ation. 


AND   THE    ERIE    CANAL.  21 

PORT  OF  DUNKIRK. 

Statement  of  imports  and  exports  at  the  port  of  Dunkirk,  N.  Y.,  during  the 

season  of  1846: 

IMPORTS. 

Assorted  merc'dise,.  .lbs.  1,349,384  Salt bbls.  2,664 

Hydraulic  cement  &  plaster,  62.500  Dairy  salt, sacks.  1,200 

Coal, 368,000  Dry  hides, 87& 

Pig  iron 104,000  Cedar    posts, 1,750 

Furniture, 12,377  Lime  stone, cords.  40 

Estimated  value $166,760,25 

EXPORTS. 

Garden  seeds, bxs.         6,481   j  Cheese, lbs.  534,612 

Chopping  axes, "                  50  |  Butter, "  297,125 

Pot  and  pearl  ashes,  cks.             183  j  Leather, "  20,500 

Eggs, bbls.              85  j  Band  boxes, box.  1,200 

Flour, "               183  I  Dried  apples, lbs.  19,353 

Pork, *                 56  '  Flax, "  30,967 

Cider, "                 90  j  Wool, "  65,708 

Green  apples, "               228     Lumber, ft.  1,200,000 

Barley, bush.             165     Scythe  snaths doz.  500 

Oil  cake, tons.  7  ' 

Estimated   value, $109,730,53 

Imports' $166,760,25 

Exports, 109,730,53 

Aggregate  amount $276,490,78 


PORT  OF  ERIE,  PA. 

We  are  indebted,  says  the  "Observer,"  to  Murray  Whal- 
loii,  Esq.,  Collector  of  this  port,  for  the  following  compara- 
tive table  of  the  exports  from  this  port  for  the  years  1845 
and  '46.  It  shows  an  increase  of  at  least  100  per  cent,  in 
favor  of  1846- 

1845.  1846. 

li'.mntity.  Quantity 

Ashes, tons  546  568 

Butter  and  cheese ''  520 i  628 i 

Beef, bbls.  550  882 

Beeswax "  75  25 

Barley, bu.-h.  4,448  7,581 

Beans '•  60  23 

Coal,    tons  8,507  21,534 

Castings "  550  555 

Corn, bush.  953  10,107 

Corn,  broom, ll)s.  22,214 

Cigars "  13,856 


22                                  COMMERCE    OF  THE    LAKES 

1845.  1846. 

Quantity  Quantity 

Clover  seed, bbls.  10 

Chestnuts, bush.  106  57 

Cider, bbls.  20  92 

Cotton,  raw, lbs.  5,679 

Eggs, bbls.  25  541 

Flour "  550  14,563 

Fruit,  dried  &  green "  150  629 

Feathers lbs.  250  56,760 

Flax  seed, •  • .  bbls.  50  20 

Grass  seed "  124 

Ginseng lbs.  14,075 

Glass  &  glass  ware, tns.  94  260? 

Hides,  skins  &  furs "  77i 

Hemp «  409 

Hay "  20 

Horns, lbs-  1,800 

Iron,   pigs, tons  150  800 

Tr©n  and  Nails, "  83     ,  612 

Iron,  railroad, "  250  2,052 

Iron  wire, lbs.  10,900 

Leather, "  46,661  123,370 

Lead,  pig, "  129,790 

Lead,  white, "  7,000  58,692 

Liquor, bbls.  1 15  35 

Lard, lbs.  2,000 

Lumber, feet  3.324  M.  3,901,675 

Oil, bbls.  100  200 

Oil  cake, tons  15  10 

Oats,   bush.  4,800  16,300 

Paper, reams  1,793  '  3,109 

Pumps  and  Pipe 250  1,263 

Potatoes, bush.  1,126 

Pork,  bacon  and  hams, bbls.  520  2,546 

Rags, lbs.  5,545  1,400 

Rye, bush.  911 

Staves, 1,168  M.  1,056.375 

Stcarine, bbls.  50 

Salt, «  300 

Shingles, M  3,550  856,600 

Scales,  ])Iatform, 500 

Shingle  bolts, cords  10 

Seed,  rape, bush.  456 

Sugar,  Molasse.s,  <Sjc., li)s.  335,735 

Sundries, tons  500  451 

Tallow, lljs.  30,200 

Tobacco,   unnian'd, '■  333,602 

Wool, "  65,435  476,922 

Aggregate  value  for  1845 $    403,334 

Do.  do,       1846 1,073,246 

Showing  an  increase  over  last  year  <if i|669,912 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


23 


These  tables  show  the  effect  produced  on  the  commerce 
of  that  place  by  the  ag-ency  of  the  Erie  Extension  Canal, 
connecting  the  Lakes  with  the  Ohio  River.  It  was  opened 
in  1845,  and  had  few  conveniences  or  boats  for  doing- 
business,  and  a  commencement  merely  was  made;  in 
1846,  it  was  better  provided  with  facilities  for  business, 
and  the  difference  is  shown  in  the  tables. 

No  account  has  been  published  of  the  imports,  coastwise 
or  Foreig-n.  It  is,  however,  well  known  that  a  g-ood  deal 
of  business  is  done  there,  and  that  larg-e  quantities  of  su- 
perior g-ypsum  is  imported  from  Canada,  g-roimd  at  Erie, 
and  through  this  Canal  sent  to  the  interior  Counties  of 
Pennsylvania. 


PORT  OF  CLEVELAND,  OHIO. 

The  following  abstracts  show  the  Lake  Commerce  of 
this  port  in  1846  : 

Abstract  of  produce  and  mprcliaudise,  the  product  of  the  United  States, 
exported  from  the  District  of  Cuyahoga,  Oliio,  to  tbreign  ports  and 
countries,  during  the  year  1846. 


AMERICAN    VESSELS. 


11,223  bbls.  flour, 
63,401  bush,  wheat, 
28,823      "      corn, 
4,402  bbls.  pork. 

78  tons  grindstones, 
230  calf  skins, 
5,141  galls,  stone  ware, 
201  pkgs.  merchandise, 
604,000  lbs.  tallow, 
498  pkgs.  lard. 

Valuation 


946  pkgs.  sundries, 

188  tons  coal, 

54  pkgs.  bacon, 

1,705  bxs.  glass, 

333  doz.  brooms, 

64  bdls.  broom  corn, 

81  bbls.  fruit, 

39     "      clover  seed, 
360     "      salt. 


$1.56,041 


BRITISH    VESSELS. 


11,703  bbls.  flour, 

249.661  bush,  wheat, 

16,635     "      corn, 

5,983  bbls.  pork, 

17 i  tons  grindstones, 


150  trees, 
75  pkgs.  lard, 
575  cks.  tallow, 
387  bales  hemp, 
3,584  lbs.  bacon. 


24 


COMMERCE    OP    THE    LAKES. 


BRITISH    VESSELS. 


2,500  feet  lumber, 

20  pkgs.  stone  pipes, 
27     "      merchandise, 
1  mill. 


-CONTINUED. 

100  bxs.  glass, 
670  tons  coal, 
87  bush,  clover  seed, 
169  pkgs.  groceries. 


Valuation, $463,237 


Abstract  of  ware  and  merchandise  impor 
of  Cleveland,  during  the  year  1846. 

1,214,372  feet  pine  lumber, 

277  cords  shingle  timber, 
196^  M.  shingles, 
27  spars, 

37  yds.  cot.  and  w'rs'd  cloth, 
9 J  bbls.  lake  fish, 
4  doz.  bot.  mineral  water, 
2  sails  for  vessels, 
2  mariners', compasses, 
Warehoused  and  transferred  from  New 
falo  to  this  port,  withdrawn  Dec.  2d,  under 

Valuatior, 


ted  from  Canada  into  the  Port 

4,057  lbs.  anchors  and  chains, 
69  galls,  ale, 
2  bbls.  apples. 
1  bush,  peas, 
78  tone, 
6,500  bush.  St.  Ubes  salt, 
64  galls,  wine, 
32      "      brandy, 
357  tons  crude  plaster. 
York  to  Buffalo,  and  from  Buf- 
new  tariff — 500  bxs.  raisins. 


$10,189 


Abstract  of  exports  coastwise  from 
season  of  navigation  of  1846. 

340,000  bbls  flour, 

35,000  "     pork, 

1,367,383  bush,  wheat, 

421,147  "       corn, 

33,000  pkgs.  mdse, 

1,176  tons.     " 

10,430  bbls.  salt, 

180,100  lbs.  tallow, 

356,120  "    lard, 

1,034,680  "    butter, 

3,440  tcs.  and  cks  beef, 

2,618  bbls.  beef, 

2,000  "     seeds, 

955,200  lbs.  nails, 

12,678  bxs.  glass, 

617,550  lbs.  cheese, 

2,370  bbls.  ashes, 

1,231,200  lbs.  bacon, 

2,694  tons  bar  iron, 

521  "     bundle  do, 

6,671  "    coal, 

1,281,400  lbs.  wool, 

Valuation 


the  Port  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  during  the 


457,000  lbs.  leather, 
1,847,921    "   tobacco, 
47,468    "  feathers, 
1,386  M  staves, 
187,783  galls,  stone  ware, 
2,830  bdls.  broom  corn, 
12  tons,  furs, 
16  steam  boilers, 
365,000  ft.  lumber 
42,625  lbs.  green  hides, 
382  bbls.  lake  fish, 
1,200      "     fruit, 
225  bdls.  steel, 

61  wagons  and  carriages 
417  stoves  and  furniture, 
30  mill  stones, 
27  tons,  hemp, 
500  bbls.  oil, 
2,432    "   and  cks.  whiskey. 
Sundry  articles   not  parti- 
cularized. 


$7,040,402 


ASD    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


25 


Abstract  of  Imports  coastwise  to  the  Port  of  Cleveland,  during  the  season 
of  navijration  of  1846. 


40,366  pkg!?.    merchandise,  ) 
weighing  5,986  tons,       ^ 
38,793,709  ft.   pine   lumber, 
826  M  shingles, 
90,67.3  bbls.  salt, 

7,700     "    fish, 
56,974  b'.ish  wheat, 
1,488  bbls.  flour, 
1,500     "     water  lime, 
2,335  burr  blocks, 
435  tons.  &  1,354  ps  marble, 
13  wagons  and  carriages, 
79  bush,  ashes, 
19  tons,  castings, 
1,235  l)bls.  plaster, 

300  tons.       " 
7,276  bags   salt, 


389  cds.  limestone, 
1,008  stoves  and  furnilure, 
212  bbls.  pork, 
811  green  hides, 
10,151  bush,  barley, 
403,550  lbs.  leather 
100  stove  castings, 
191  l)bls.  and  cks  copper  ore, 
235  tons,  coal, 
38  bbls.  oil, 
30  sks.  wool, 
112  bbls.  tallow, 
200  doz.  scythe  snath>, 
151   tons  scrap  iron, 
79     "    ship  stuff. 

Sundry  articles,  not  parti- 
cularized- 


Valuation  $5,045,495 

"  For  the  purpose  of  showing-,  at  one  view,  the  money 
value  of  the  Lake  Commei-ce  done  throug-h  the  Port  of 
Cleveland,  in  1846,  I  present  it  in  the  following-  form  : 

Exports  to  Foreign    ports   in  British  vessels,  S    463,237 

I)o.              do.           do.         American  do.  156,041 

Imports  from  do.           do.      Am.  *k;  For.  do.  10,189 

Do.     coastwise  in  American                 do.  5,045,495 

Exports         do.               do.                       do.  7,040,402 

.$12,715,364 

The  arrivals  and  clearances  to  Foreig-n  ports  were — 

Arrivals — British, 82  vessels 9,368  75  tons.    ' 

American, 87     do 6,141  60 

Cleared  — British, 80     do 9,390  70 

American,....  78     do 6,113  11 

Total, 327     do 15,504  16-95  tons. 

"  The  arrivals  and  clearances  coastwise  have  not  been 
given,  but  that  the  number  is  very  larg-e,  may  be  conjec- 
tured from  the  amount  of  exports  and  imports." 


26  COMMERCE   OF   THE   LAKES 

I  will  now  present  comparative  statements  of  the 
CANAL  COMMERCE  OF  CLEVELAND, 

In  1845  and  1846 : 
Comparative  statement  of  some  of  the  principal  articles  of  property  that 
arrived  at,  or  was  cleared  from  Cleveland,  by  the  way  of  the  Ohio  Canal, 
during  the  years  1845  and  1846. 

AKRIVED. 

1845.  1816. 

Flour,  bbls 352,732  358,355 

Pork,      "    19,981  42,996 

Beef,      "    4,019  1,308 

Whiskey,  bbls •  •  •  • 1,642  17,741 

Linseed  oil   "     1,217  967 

Pot  and  pearl  ashes,   lbs 1,060,973  660.983 

Butter,  lbs 1,087.184  1,341,333 

Bacon,    "    863,011  1,491,821 

Lard,      "    792.734  1,073.444 

Tallow,  "    315,398  177,452 

Iron  and  nails,  lbs 9,122,822  11,527,908 

Wool,    lbs 961,982  970,709 

Mineral  coal,  bush 889,880  893,806 

Corn,  bush 164,967  527,270 

Oats,      "     48,044  50,184 

Wheat    "    205,581  1,672,340 

Tobacco,   hhds 705  2,031  * 

Staves  and  heading,  pes 717,084  719,397 

Stone    perches, 15,055  8,690 

Wood,    cords 5,862  5,680 

CLEARED. 

Salt,  bbls 52,501  58,592 

Lake  Fish,  bbls 10,208  9,012 

Merchandise,  lbs 10,988,708  10,796,129 

Furniture  and  baggage,  lbs 819,891  663,225 

Gypsum,  lbs l,714,7o3  1,116.578 

Castings,  " 342,859  638,485 

Machinerv,  lbs 02,760  1 3 1 ,475 

Saleratus,"'      "    282,050  1 85,869 

Pot  and  Pearl  ashes,  lbs 132,959  170,826 

Other  salts  of  lev,       "    476,435  263,038 

Marble,   lbs. ..."'. 504,083  1,028,107 

Hides  and  Skins,  lbs 121,521  23,362 

Clocks,  lbs 140,373  127,432 

Grindstones,  lbs 51,413  37,056 

Cheese,          "    30,854  87,551 

Lumber,    feet 2,045,961  2.497,008 

Shingles,    "    3,251,000  1,913,250 

Flat  hoops, "    777,000  1,473,680 

No  estimated  money  value  of  this  property  has  been  published. 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


27 


PORT  OF  SANDUSKY,  OHIO. 

The  Sandusky  Clarion  furnishes  the  followinp;'  abstract 

of  the  imports  of  the  District  of  Sandusky,  during-  the  year 

1846: 

Sandusky.  Milan. 

Merchandise,  lbs ir),.396,000  2,652,214 

Stone  coal,        "   578,000  72,000 

Salt,  bbls 29,911  16,096 

Plaster," 462 

Water  lime,  bbls 450  189 

Fish,               "   1,839  231 

Flour,              "    60  241 

Whiskey,        "   168  

Beer,     '           "    276  4 

Vinegar,         "    ....  2 

Lime,  "    1,600  

Lumber,  feet 1,400,534  21 9,293 

Shingles,'.   368,750  115,500 

Shino-Ie  bolts,  cds 30  86 

Stone,                "   13 

Railroad  and  pig  iron,  tns 2,106  .... 

Castings,  "    8i  

Pumps, 210  .... 

Lath,  M 150,000 


Abstract  of  imports  and  exports  at  Lower  Sandusky 
(about  36  miles  in  the  interior  from  the  Lake,  better  known 
in  history  as  Fort  Stephenson,  the  scene  of  Col.  Crog-han's 
gallantry  in  the  war  of  1812,)  in  the  District  of  Sandusky, 
for  the  year  1846: 

EXPORTS.  I  IMPORTS. 

Wheat,  bush 90,000     Salt,  bbls 1 ,480 

Pork,  bbls 560      Merchandise,  tons 250 

Ashes,   cks 558  ; 

Flour,  bbls 1,010  i 

Seeds,     "    •    150  | 

Butter,  kegs 200  I 

Corn,   bush 18,400  I 

Staves, 1,100,000 

Wool,  tons 3  ! 

Hides,     " 3  I 

Lumber,  feet 74,000  i 


28  COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 

The  exports  from  the  District  of  Sandusky  during*  the 
same  period  were: 

Sandusky.  Mii.ak.              Huron. 

Whoat,  bush 843,746  6;}e3,142          30,292 

Corn,         "      50,904  19,353 

Oats,         "      8,563  1,855 

I'arley.      »      250  223 

I'otatocs,  "      100 

Clover  seed,  bush 7,086  1,874  bbls. 

Pork,     bbls 10,372  4,529 

Flour,      «'   51,855  830 

Beef.       "   2,189  171 

Ashes,     "   3,291  1,516 

Timothy    seed,    bbls 691  303 

Flax   se"^ed,   bbls 954  34 

Tallow,           "   705  04 

Highwines,    "    1,729  731 

Dried  f>uit,    "    2l3  81 

Cranberries,  "    762  31 

Bees\va.\,        '• 10  1,801   lbs.    . 

Beans,             "    17  .... 

Hams,             "    ^ 275  8,776  lbs. 

Cirease,           "    30  .... 

Eggs,              "   27  .... 

Plaster,            "    '1,095                    

Maple  Sugar,  "    25  .... 

Rye,                "   22                   

Bcei',               "    26                    

Butter,            " 21 

Butter,  kegs 5,890  830 

Lard,       "    151 

Lard,  lbs 172,710  210 

Feathers,    lbs 13,242  1,539 

Wool,   bales 2,025  201,106  lbs. 

Cheese,  lbs 40,000  600 

Leatjjer,  rolls 1,254  17,070  lbs. 

Hide.s,  lbs 159,080  16,914 

Sheep  pelts,  bdls 55  14,674  lbs. 

Grindstones,  lbs 42,660 

Ginseng,         '<   ....  3,375 

Staves 245,000  513,058 

Hogs, 200  .... 

Brooms, 3,600                   

Live  Caltl(>, 12  .... 

Cedar  posts, 1,250  .... 

TiUmber,  feet, 76,702 

Hiack  Walnut  lumljer,  feet, 27,053                    

'I'obacco,  hhds 101 

Pla.ster,  tons 530  530 

Stone,        " 5,250                    

Furs,  bales 189                    . 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  29 

The  arrivals  from  and  clearances  to  American  ports, 
were : 

Arrival?;, 435  |  (Clearances 4:?0 

The   arrivals    from  and   clearances   to   Forcig-n  jiorts, 
were : 

ARRIVED.  CLEARED. 


American  vessels, 2 

British  "        10 


American  vessels, 4 

British  "       10 


During-  the  same  period  there  were  exported  from  the 
District  of  Sandusky  to  foreign  ports  and  countries  : 

In  American  vessels,  20,880  l)ushels  Wheat;— value,  $14,046 
In  British  "         48,451  ''  "  "  38,915  70 


Abstract  of  merchandise  imported  trom  Canada  into  the   District   of  San- 
•     dusky,  during  the  year  1846  : 

AMERICAN    VESSELS. 


62  coon  skins, 
10  tbx       " 
27  muskrat   skins, 
116   hbls.  fish, 
298,358  feet  lumber, 

Estimated  value, |i2,307 


55 5  cords  shingle  wood, 
1  set  of  spars, 
35.750  shingles, 
400  lbs  castinirs. 


BRITISH    VESSELS. 

40J  bbls.  fish,  I     2     bags  herbs. 

Estimated  value, $245,00 


PORT  OF  TOLEDO,  OHIO. 

"  The  following  shows  the  shipments  from  this  port  for 
three  seasons,  their  aggregate  value,  and  the  quantity  of 
salt  imported : 

1840. 

Wheat,   bushels 85.000 

Flour,  bbls 51.000 

Pork,      "    1,:^0 

Whiskey,    casks 700 

Ashes,            "     600 

Seed,              "     300 

Butter,  kegs 280 

Hides, . . , 1,197 

Valuation, , .    $381,000         $521,000  $358,000 


1841. 

1842. 

127,898 

116,730 

45,781 

37,280 

7,063 

8,445 

2,295 

1,601 

1,303 

1,672 

520 

251 

450 

451 

2,180 

1,991 

30 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


Tlie  oqnivalents  of  these  tables,  of  Flour  and  Wheat,  reduced  to  bushels, 
are  for  1840,   340,000;  for  1841,  356,818;  Ibr  1842,  303,139, 

Imports  of  Salt,  bbls.,  1840, 10,000;   1841,  17,000;   1842,  unknown. 

"The  Wabash  &  Erie  Canal,  terminating-  at  Toledo,  was 
only  in  operation  four  weeks,  and  tolls  to  the  amount  of 
S2,961  were  received  at  La  Fayette,  la.,  on  the  following- 
merchandise,  shipped  from  there : 


Flour,  bbls 5,237 

Flax  seed,   bush 1,435 

Oats,                "     953 

Bacon,    lbs. 861 

T.ard,    keos 21 


Wheat,  bush 14,700 

Wheat,  bbls 104 

Apples,     "     .  — '. 55 

Butter^  ke^s 10 

Feathers,  lbs 2,000 


The  Toledo  "  Blade"  g-ives  the  following-  table,  exhibit- 
ing- the  quantity  and  value  of  articles  received  at  Toledo, 
by  canal  and  rail-road,  during-  the  season  of  1846 : 


Flour,  bbls 164,689 

Wheat,  bush 810,963 

Corn,         "    1,159.315 

Furs  and  peltries,  lbs. . .  258,017 

Lard,  lbs 5,003,740 

Pork,  bbls 19,593 

Bacon,  lbs 1,963,561 

Sugar,    " 1,290,085 

Pot  and  pearl  ashes,  lbs..  1,008,972 

Tallow,  lbs 579,430 


Wool, 
Ilenip, 
Butter, 


124,075 
297,433 
253,949 


Cotton,    " 250,519 

Oil,  (linseed  &  lard)  bbls.  1,367 

Oil,  (castor)  bbls 75 

Oats,  bush 115,402 

Hides  and  skins,  lbs 161,293 

Whiskey,  bbls 2,543 

Feathers,    lbs 56,736 


Beeswax,    " 40,863, 

Molasses,    " 622,334 

Hoir's  hair,  " 251,624 

Uniinished  leather,  lbs . .  129,123 

To1)acco,  lbs 714,245 

Grass  seed,  bush 2,1 08 

Caudles,  (tallow  &  stea- 

rine)  lbs .52,080 

Cinseng,lbs 94,623 

Flax  seed,  bush 7^377 

Beef,  bbls 387 

Soap,  ll)s 48,563 

Corn  meal,  bbls 797 

Lead,  lbs 44,213 

Shot.    " 46,302 

White  lead,  lbs 123,722 

Merchandise, " 422,892 

Groceries,       " 80,507 

Ceffee.,           " 39,167 

With  various  other  articles. 


Aggregate  value .' $3,519,067 

"  I  have  seen  no  account  published  of  imports  from  the 
Lake  into  that  port,  in  1846,  neither  the  number  of  arrivals 
and  de])artures,  coastwise  or  foreig-n.     The  imports  in  mo- 
ney value  will,  I  think,  fully  equal,  if  not  exceed,  the  ex- 


AND   THE   ERIE    CANAL, 


31 


ports,  as  large  quantities  of  merchandise  is  sent  throug-li 
that  place  for  Cincinnati,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missouri, 
and  other  states  and  places." 


STATE  OF  MICHIGAN. 
There  has  been  exported  from  the  Port  of  Detroit  for 
the  year  1845,  the  following"  products  of  the  growth  and 
manufacture  of  the  State. 

Flour,  bbls 494,092  ;  Barley,  bush 1 930 

Wheat,  bush 1 14,397   ,  Oats,       "       o;'462 

Ashes,  cks 5,742  '  Potatoes,"      2,5(10 

Wool,  lbs 506,143      Provisions,  bbls.  uss'd . .  17,000 

Leather,  do 100,354  ,  Whiskey       »    1,302 

Cranberries,  bbls 2,920      Green  and  dry  hides, . .  (3,487 

Fish,                "    9,305  j  Beeswax,  bbls 40 

Grass  seed,     "    5lO  !  Ginseng,  and  other  roots,  24 

Flaxseed,        "    100      Hay,  tons 140 

Mustard  seed, "    5  ,  Mineral  Ore,  lbs 308,000 

Brooms,  doz 100  i  Staves, 4,316,236 

Pork,  bbls 2,621  ;  Lumber,  feet 4,000,000 

Beef,    "     200  '  Shingles 10,000 

Hams,  "     200  i  Furs  and  peltries,  value,  $300,000 

Beans,  bush 2,027  :  Straw  hats,                "  10,000 

Corn,      "       3,768  I  Beer,  bbls 6,000 

Total  value  of  exports  {'rom  Detroit, S>2,495;385,50 


There  has  been  also  exported  in  the  same  period  tiom  the  port  of  Monkoe, 
Mich. 


Flour,  bbls. . ; 

Wheat,  bush 

Ashes,  tons 

Wool,  lbs 

Hides 

Pork,  bbls 

Beans,  bush 

Alcohol,   bbls 

Cranberries," 

Buckwheat    Hour,    bbls. 


155,108  I  Corn,  bush 4,804 

372,837  I  Barley,    '' ,  300 

591  I  Beeswax,   lbs. .'. 1,312 

81,424  I  Corn   brooms,  doz 64 

90,521  I  Potatoes,     bush 377 

■      189  !  Grass    seed,     bbls 14 

290  Black  walnut  lumber,  ft.  158,000 

40  Staves,     20,000 

15S  Oats,  bush 600 

75  1  Furs,  bales 40 


Value  of  Monroe  exports !3!800,24l,06 


Exports  from  the  port  of  St.  Josei'ii,  Mich. 


Wheat,  bush. 
Flour,  bbls. . . 
Provisions,   . . 


233,645 

129,333 

3,099 


Corn,  bush. 
Oats,       " 
Wool,  lbs. . 


7.773 

1,500 
4,000 


32 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


Siiingles,  M 325 

Staves,      100 

Lumber    It 1,500 

Whiskey,  cks 2,721 

Valuation  ol"St.  Joseph  exports 


Beans,  bush 

Hides, 

Linseed  oil,  cks 

Furs,  pks 

$601,555,98 


170 

781 
65 

74 


PORT  OF  GRAND  RIVER,  MICH. 

The  number  of  arrivals  and  departures  from  this  port, 
during'  the  navig-ation  season  of  1846,  is  407.  The  number 
of  passeng'ers  arriving*  at  this  port  during*  the  season,  is 
1,586.     The  amount  of  exports  is  as  follows: 

Pine  lumber,  feet 22,365,452 


Shinjiles,  M 

LallCbdl^ 

Staves,  M 

Hemlock  bark,  cords . 

Shingle  bolts 

Square  timber,  feet. . . 
Cranberries,   bbls. . . . 


3,131 

1,021 

30 

120 

370 

28,600 

86 


Flour,  bbls 

Wheat,  bush 

Plaster,  bl^ls 

Ashes,  Casks 

Wmdovv  sash,  bdls. 

Furs,  packs 

Maple  sugar,  bbls. . 
Wood,  cords 


2,608 

13,500 

2,196 

59 

100 

91 

60 

150 


Total  Grand  River  exports 8179,539  21 

Value  of  lumber,   shingles,  and  other  articles  exported  from  other  ports 
in  this  State,  is  estimated  at  .'B570,936  25. 

RECAl'ITULATION. 

The  exports  of  Detroit  amount  to $2,495,335  50 

"              Monroe          "       800,24106 

"             St.  Joseph's  "       601,.555  98 

"             Grand  River "       179,539  21 

"             All  others       "       570,936  25 


T9tal -$4,647,608  00 

Tiie  imports  have  not  been  given,  but  it  is  not  unrea- 
sonable to  assume  that  the  amount  will  not  vary  much  from 
the  exports,  both  together  forming  an  aggregate  of  nearly 
ten  millions  of  dollars. 

The  eurolled  and  licensed  tonnage  within  the  District 
of  Detroit  was  26,928  31-95  tons,  composed  o(^ — 

Enrolled    steam, fl,400  60 

"  sail  vess(!ls 17,917   46 


Licensed 


010  45 


-26,928  31-95 


and  required  the  service  of  eighteen  hundred  men  to  navi- 
gate it. 


AND   THE    ERIE    CANAL.  33 

PORT  OF  MILWAUKIE,  WISCONSIN. 

"  Tlie  Ssntinel  gives  the  following-  statement  of  procluce 
and  other  articles  shipped  for  the  East,  at  that  point,  dur- 
ing- the  season  of  1846  : 

Wheat,  bush •. .  . .  213,448  j  Wool,  lbs 10,56-2 

Flour,  bbls 15,756      Ashes,  *' 1G,25() 

Barley,  bush 5,384      Hides, 5,513 

Corn,"      "     1,635  [  Furs,  pkgs 198 

T    .  A  \  piS^ -25,-295      Rags,  tons 140 

'^^  I  or  lbs 1,770,650  ;  Pails,  doz -JOo 

Broom  corn,  lbs 107,545  j  Mdse.,  &c 314,143 

Brooms 50,425  | 

Wheat  exported.  Flour  exporteJ. 

1845 95,500  bush.  7,500  bb!s. 

1846 213,448  bush.  15,756  bbls. 

Increase  for  1846,  117,948  bush.  8,256  bbls. 

"The  increase,  it  will  be  seen,  has  been  more  than  100 
per  cent.  No  doubt,  says  the  Sentinel,  a  similar  increase 
would  be  shown  by  a  comparison  of  the  other  articles  of 
export ;  but  we  have  not  the  means  of  making-  it.  The 
above  suffices,  at  least,,  to  show  the  rapid  g-rowth  and  de- 
velopment of  our  yet  infant  Territory,  And  this  is  but  the 
besrinnino-. 


PORT  OF  CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS. 

"  The  following-  are,  of  the  principal  articles  exported 
from  this  port,  during  five  seasons : 

18i2.  1843.                1844.                1845. 

Wheat,  bush 586,910  628,965         871,805           956,860 

Oats,         "     53,485             3,767               5,900 

Flour,  bbls -2,9-20  10,785             4,320              13,750 

Pork,      " 15,450  11,110             7.0.J0               7,010 

Beef,      " 762  10,380'           7,890               6,-200 

Wool,  lbs 1,500  2-2,050           96,635           216,615 

Lard,    " 36,720  282  bbls.     1,630  bbls.    66,2-20 

Tobacco,  \hs 3,000  47,900           52,653             5*2,000 

Hams,       "   In  pork  ac't.  In  porkac't.  In  porkac't.       2-2,925 

Tallow,     "    15,130  1,185  bbls.  34,900      bbls.  1,000 

Hides,  No 6,975  14,.535           11,042             1-2,255 

Valuation !$659,300    .$1,008,210      $785,300     $1,500,000 

D 


34 


COMMERCE    OP    THE    LAKES. 


"  The  exports  and  imports  of  the  same  place,  in   1846, 
were — 


EXPORTS. 


Wheat,  bush 1,358,638 

Beef  and  pork,'  bbls ....  23,788 

Flour,  bbls 19,391 

Lard  and  tallow,  bbls. . .  2,160 

Do           lbs. . .  76,600 

Hams,  bbls 16 

"       pes 22,633 

Fish,    bbls 1,413 

Whiskey,    bbls 671 

Tobacco,  lbs 0,152 

"         bxs 19 

Candles,     "    810 

Beeswax,    bbls 26 

«'    ,     lbs 95,000 

Soap,    bxs 51 

Furniture,  bbls 909 

"         bxs 31 

Wool,    lbs 21,806 

"     bales 116 

Agricultural         imple- 
ments,   bbls 11 

Furs,   lbs 37,514 

"    bxs.  and  bales ....  18 

Ginseng,  sks 58 

Salt,   bbls 1,423 

Oil        "      128 

Fruit,    "      322 

Merchandise,  bbls 806 

Oats,  bush 27,308 

Corn    "      9,331 


Hides,  ps 

Glass,  bxs , 

Pelts,    pes 

Stearine,    bbls 

Cranberries,  "    

Rags,  lbs 

Coal,     "     

Beans,    bbls 

Machinery,  lbs 

Hay,  bales, 

Scraps  tin.  cop 'r,  &c.  lbs 

Hogsheads  do 

Brooms,    doz 

Leather,   lbs 

Butter,    bbls 

lbs 

Flaxseed,   bbls 

Timothy  seed, "    

Wagons,   

Lime,  bbls 

Grindstones,   ps 

Coal,   tons 

Merchandise,  not  weigh- 
ed, pkgs 

Scraps  tin,  &c.  pkgsJ . . 

Leather,      pkgs 

Flax  seed,        "    

Timothy  seed  "    

Paper,  "    


IMPORTS. 


Merchandise,  tons ....  8,800 

"             bbls 10,385 

"      bxs,  and  pkgs.  1,540 

Salt,  bbls 13,308 

"    sks 1,346 

Fish,  bbls 1,800 

Butter,  "    37 

Beans,  "    10 

Oil         "     23 

Whiskey    bbls 1,065 

Fruit,  cider,  &c.  bbls. . .  4,812 

"        pkgs 185 

Seeds,  bbls 7 


Furniture,  tons 

"  bbls 

"  kgs 

Agricultural  imple- 
ments, bbls 

"     pkgs 

Wagons  and   coaches. 

Ploughs, 

Hubs  and  wheels, .... 

Soap,  pkgs 

Coal,  tons. 

Glass  bxs 

Beans,   bbls 


9,460 

993 

1,160 

64 

74 

2,164 

8,900 

1 

2,700 

156 

3,162 

40 

896 

11,140 

36 

2,765 

487 

29 

1 

14 

18 

26 

429 
51 

34 

487 
29 

28 


47 
4,039 

850 

33 
3 

307 

17 

2,000 

246 

2,150 

1,725 

10 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  35 


IMPORTS. CONTmUED 


Lath, 2,009,500 

Pickets, 24,000 

Timber, 110,000 

Staves, .M~',000 

Mahogany, 1,852 


Machinery,  tons.....  1 

Threshing     machines,  37 

Millstones 2G 

Water-lime,  bbls 4,000 

Lumber,  feet 2:^,824,297 

Shingles, 8,354,000 

"No  valuation  has  been  reported  for  the  exports  and  im- 
ports of  1846.  The  arrivals  and  departures  at  this  port, 
for  1846,  were — 

Arrivals.  Pepartures.  Total. 

Steamers 352  348  700 

Propellers Ill  109  220 

Brigs.... 95  94  189 

Schooners 837  835  1672 


Total 1395  1386  2781 


PORT  OF  MICFIIGAN  CITY,  INDL\NA. 
"  The  following-  table  g-ives — says  the  paper  of  that 
place — the  principal  articles  exported  and  imported  at 
Michigan  City.  The  three  first  years  are  from  the  first  of 
May,  1843,  to  the  first  of  May,  1846;  and  the  last  year 
from  the  first  of  May,  1846,  to  the  close  of  navig-ation. 

EXPORTS. 

1843.             1844.                1845.  1840. 

Wheat,  bu.sh 357,650         304,645         420,714  332,000 

Corn  and  oats,  bush 2,000            2,420             ^3,819  41 ,000 

Flour,    bbls 1,000             1,825             3,051  1,000 

Pork  and  lard,  bbls 520             1,050              2,600  2,510 

Beef  and  tallow,  "    210                325                 800  1,000 

English  beef,  tcs 200  500 

Sundries  in  bulk,  bbls....        1,300            1,975             4,380  6,750 

Hides, 800             1,050              1,333  1,0.50 

Wheat  in  store,  Dec.  23,  1846,  bush 187,000 

Flour       "                    "           "       bbls 500 

IMPORTS. 

Merchandise,  tons 575  671  968  1,610 

Salt  and  lime,  "    925  1,.378  2,500  4,500 

Sundries  in  bulk,  bbls....      1,500  2,163  3,785  5,784 


36  COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 

"Comparing-  the  two  last  with  the  first  two  years,  we  find 
that  the  exports  of  wheat  have  increased  over  100,000 
bushels;  corn  and  oats,  800  percent;  flour  30  percent; 
pork  and  lard,  over  200  per  cent;  beef  and  tallow,  over 
200  per  cent ;  sundries,  225  per  cent ;  hides,  30  per  cent ; 
and  imports  120  per  cent.  This  ratio  of  increase  is  pro- 
bably as  g-reat,  if  not  greater  than  that  of  any  other  point 
on  the  lake." 


LAKE  ONTARIO  COMMERCE. 

Of  all  the  numerous  ports  on  this  Lake,  I  am  unable  to 
present  any  portion  of  their  commerce,  except  that  of  Os- 
weg-o  and  Lewiston. 

PORT  OF  OSWEGO— LAKE  BUSINESS. 

The  following-  table  contains  a  comparative  statement  of 
the  imports  and  exports  at  the  port  of  Osweg-o,  during-  the 
years  1845  and  1846  : 

IMPORTS. 

1845.  184G. 

Lumber,    feet 19,788,092  28,838,282 

Shingles,    "    l,524,27.'j  4,338,8.'30 

Staves,        "    1,544,712  1,247,857 

Wheat,  uiisli 1,012,210  2,576,211 

Corn,       "    13,358  354,372 

Barley,     " 71,621  86,091 

Rye,         '■•    1.5,457  51,410 

Oats,        "    72,174  48,477 

Flo  n-,  bbls 77,602  72,912 

Beef,       "    2,^^24  946 

Pork,       "    3,299  13,374 

Tieef,  tcs ....  4,663 

Cheese,  cks 12,362  17,595 

Whiskey," 991  2,315 

Slareh,      " 115  874 

Cheese,   bxs 3,112  4,829 

Butter,  tubs 10,277  22,820 

AVool,  lbs 134,161  331,078 


AND   THE   ERIE    CANAL.  37 

IMPORTS — CONTINUED. 

1845.  184G. 

Hams,  lbs 17.5,1-20  299,139 

Lard,     '• 121,126  2.54,201 

Tobacco,  hhds * 27  192 

Glass,  bxs 4,361  6,1.58 

Ashos,  cks 9,.543  7,602 

Pig  iron,  tons 2.51  478 

It  will  be  seen  that  in  the  articles  of  flour,  staves,  ashes 
and  oats,  there  has  been  a  slig-ht  falling-  off,  while  in  all  the 
others  the  increase  is  very  large.  In  the  articles  of  g-rain, 
lumber,  provisions,  butter  and  cheese,  the  increase  is  im- 
mense. 

The  wheat,  corn,  beef,  pork,  tobacco,  and  many  other 
articles,  are  principally  the  products  of  Western  States, 
imported  from  thence  via.  the  Welland  Canal.  No  valuation 
has  been  published  of  the  exports. 

EXPORTS    FOR    1846. 

Merchandise  exported  to  Western  ports,  lbs 15,694,661 

"  "  Canada, 1 1,385,720 

"  "  State  ports,  N.  Y., 14,80.5,311 

Totial  merchandise  exported, 42,385,692 

Vakie  of        "  "         ... 8  4,238,599 

Salt  exported  to  Western  ports,  l)b!s 229,227 

"         "  State  "        N.  Y.,  31,840 

't         "  Canada      "  39,743 

Total  number  of  barrels  exported, 300,810 

"  sacks  "         29,5-22 

Value  of  salt  exported, $    2-26,303 

"      of  merchandise    exported, 4,238,599 

Total  value  of  foreign  and  domestic  exports, $  4,464,872 

The  receipts  by  canal  during  the  year  of  navigation,  just 
closed,  exceed  that  of  last  year  by  about  5,000,000  lbs. 
merchandise.  The  larger  portion  of  this  increase  is  in  the 
amount  of  sugar ;  which  under  the  law  allowing  draw- 
back, on  certain  articles  of  merchandise  shipped  for  the 
Canada  markets,  is  now  finding  its  way,  in  large  quanti- 
ties, through  that  channel.     The   total    amount  of  sugar 


38 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


received  this  year  is  8,025,419  lbs.,  of  which  4,495,615 
was  for  re-shipment  to  Canada,  under  the  law  of  deben- 
ture. 


PORT  OF  LEWISTON,  N.  Y. 

Comparative  statement  of  the  business  of  the  jCuslom  House,  Lewiston, 
District  of  Niagara,  with  foreign  ports  from  1840  to  1846,  inclusive: 

IMPORTS. 

1840  Imports  of  foreign  merchandise, $10,108  74 

1841  "  "  »  .-.22,144  99 

1842  "  "  "  10,775  22 

1843  "  "  »  13,197  28 

1844  «  "  "  23,271  57 

1845  "  "  «  19,955  11 

1846  «  "  "  » 26,227  74 

EXPORTS. 

1840     Exports  domestic  merchandise, %  31,626  83 

"  "       foreififn  "  492  80 


1841  Exports  domestic   merchandise,, 

1842  "  "  " 
"             "         foreign               " 


119,212  32 
5,313  06 


$32,119  68 
14,471  62 


1843     Exports  domestic  merchandise, 104,075  02 

foreign  "  45,052  44 


124,525  88 


1844     Exports  domestic  merchandise, 37,748  69 

"  "        foreign  "  21,968  03 


149,127  46 


1845     Exports  domestic  merchandise, 293,959  86 

"  "         foreign  "  182,764  85 


59,710  72 


1846     Exports  domestic  merchandise, 281,118  55 

"  "        foreign  "  149,759  25 


476,724  05 


430,877  80 


SPECIE    IMPORTED. 

1840 %   81,740 

1841 88,000 

1842 134,700 

1843 105,200 

1844 '. 196,500 

1845 362,965 

1846 491,2.36 


SPECIE    EXPORTED. 


$236,000 
385,000 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  39 

American  and  foreign  tonnage  entering  into  ami  clearing  from  the  District 
of  Niagara,  from  and  to  tbreign  ports,  from  1840  to  1846,  inclusive: 


1840 
1841 
1842 

1843 

(( 

1844 

a 

1845 

a 

1846 


ARRIVALS    FROM    KOREIGJf    PORTS. 

8  American  vessels 864  tons , 


. .  331  foreign 64,600 65,464 

1  American, 42 

..491  foreign, 108,068 108,130 

2  American, 485 

.  .487  foreign, 103,357 103,842 

. .   55  American, 18,590 

.  .553  foreign, 89,442 108,032 

. .   85  American, 27,456 

.  .517  foreign, 103,480 130,836 

. .  101  American, 15,285 

.  .513  foreign, 123,662 138,947 

. .  162  American, 31,997 

.  .531  foreign, 126,425 158,422 


1840 
1841 
1842 

u 

1843 

li 

1844 
1845 
1846 


CLEARED    TO    FOREIGN    PORTS. 

8  American  vessels, ....  864  tons , 


...  331  foreign, 64,928 65,792 

...      4  American, 264 

...497  foreign, 108,104 108,368 

...      6  American, 931 

. . .  482  foreign, 96,617 97,548 

. . .  125  American, 42,260 

...542  foreign,    112,912 155,1V2 

. . .  229  American, 14,641 

...508  foreign, 103,529 118,170 

...   58  American, 7,925 

. .  .508  foreign, •  •  126,161 134,086 

...  157  American, 30,995 

...516  foreign,    127,355 158,350 

Tonnage  of  American  vessels  entered  and  cleared  coastwise: 

1846     192  vessels  entered,  tons 70,792 

'*        189      "      cleared 70,365 

R.  H.  BOUGHTON,  Collector. 

There  are  two  daily  lines  of  British  steam-boats  run- 
ning- during-  the  season  of  navigation  between  Lewiston 
and  Toronto,  Hamilton  and  other  Canadian  ports.  This 
statement  of  the  business  of  that  port  is  incomplete,  only- 
stating-  as  it  does,  the  foreign  commerce,  widiout  giving 
any  account  of  the  business  coastwise  either  in  kind  or 
value. 


40 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    LAKES 


Hitherto  I  have  confined  my  remarks  ex:ckisively  to  the 
American  commerce,  done  on  these  Lakes.  I  will  now, 
for  futm-e  reference,  introduce  a  few  facts  in  regard  to 
British  commerce  on  the  same  channels. 


THE    WELLAND   CANAL 

connects  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario,  by  running-  across  the 
Peninsula  of  Canada  West,  [late  Upper  Canada] — is  26 
miles  long, -with  locks  150  feet  long,  26  1-2  feet  wide, 
8  1-2  feet  deep  on  mitre  sills.  Since  the  year  1844,  this 
work  has  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Government,  and 
no  report  of,  property  passing  it,  since  that  time,  has  been 
published.  In  1844,  the  followhig  statements  were  pub- 
lished : 

American  Ports  to  American  Ports,  up. 

(That  is,  from  American  ports  on  Lake  Ontario  to  American  ports  on  the 

Upper  Lakes.) 

30  bbls.  beei"  and  pork,  72  tons  castings  of  "2240  lbs. 

196,050      "     salt,  1,197     "     iron         "     "        " 

452  tons  coal  of  2240  lbs.  30     "     grindstones.  "       " 

8,521     "     merchandise  of  2240  lbs.,  equal  9528  tons  of  2000  lbs. 

American  to  American  Ports,  down. 


296,765  feet  .boards, 
279,621  W.  L  staves, 
90,925  bbls.  flour, 
780     »      whiskey, 
175  tons  coal, 
4     "     castings, 
9     "     tobacco, 
127     "     merchandise. 


133,130  pipe-staves, 
16,347  bbls.  pork  and  beef, 
2  558     "      ashes, 
1,629,544  bush,  wheat, 
10,789     "       corn, 

100  tons  rail  road  iron, 
82      "    grindstones, 


American  to  British  Ports,  up. 

84  tons  merchandise,  5,865  bbls.  salt, 

50     "     coal, 

American  to  British  Ports,  down. 


39,204  feet  ))oards. 
,22,820  barrels  pork  and  beof. 
44,839       "•      tloiir. 
299,305  bushels  wheat. 
62,104       "        corn. 
18  tons  castings. 
38     "    grind.sloncs. 


3,090  pipe  staves. 
331,592  W.  I.   " 

97  liarrels  ashes. 
609        "         salt. 
1,000  tons  coal. 
19     "     iron. 
90     "    merchandise. 


AND   THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


41 


British  to  British  Ports,  up. 

f 0,861  fi.  timber, 

680  bl>Is.  beef  and  pork, 

653  "  flour, 

10,974  "  salt, 

52  whiskey. 

I'Z  tons  castings, 

363  "    iron. 


260,400  ft.  boards 

594  pipe  staves, 

91  W.I.     " 

22  cks.  ashes, 

38,215  Inish.  wheat, 
56      "     corn, 

10  tons  coal, 
2,396      "    merchandise, 

British  to  British  Ports,  down. 


3,354,763    feet  boards, 
462,307     "  timber, 

2,108  barrels  beef  and  pork, 
118,799       "  flour, 

154,527  bush,  wheat, 
379       "  corn, 
20  tons  merchandise,  I 

British  to  American  Ports,  up 


470,981  pipe  staves, 

211,106  W.  I.  do. 

1,035  casks  ashes, 
92     "  whiskey, 

43  tons  castings, 
130     «     tobacco. 


375,506  W.  I.  staves, 

2,726,067  feet  boards. 

22,807  pipe         " 

Totals. 

7,493,574  feet  boards. 

630,602  pipe  staves, 

490,525     "    timber, 

1,197,196  W.  I.     » 

41,976  ))bls.  beef  and 

pork, 

1,689  tons  coal, 

305,208     "      flour, 

211     "     castings, 

3,412     "      ashes. 

1,748     "     iron. 

213,212     "      salt. 

140     "     tobacco, 

931     "       whiskey. 

151     "     grind  stones, 

2,121,592  bushels  wheat. 

11,318     "     merchandise 

73,328       »        corn. 

IMPORTS  AND  EXPORTS  OF  TORONTO,  C.  W. 

For  the  year  ending  Jan.  5th,  1847. 

I  am  indebted  to  a  friend  in  Toronto  for  the  following- 
tables  relating*  to  the  business  of  the  Port  of  Toronto,  for 
the  year  ending  January  5th,  1847,  together  with  the  value 
of  some  of  the  principal  articles  imported,  a  list  of  the 
steamers,  propellers,  and  other  vessels  owned  on  lake  On- 
tario and  employed  on  the  inland  waters  of  Canada,  and 
a  return  of  mills,  founderies  and  factories  in  the  District, 


K 


42 


COMMERCE   OF    THE   LAKES 


showings  the  estimated  valu^  of  machinery,  buildings  &c., 
connected  therewith. 


Cows 

Horses,   

Lambs,    

Oxen, 

Pigs»    

Sheep  

Flour,   bbls 

Oysters,    lobsters   and 
turtles,  pkgs. 


IMPORTS 

1 


60 

10 

1,000 

23 


1,*= 


Cheese,     cwts 548  1  26 

Butter,  "     27  0   14 

Bacon  and  l)am,  cwts.         75  2     0 
Meats,  salted  cured  and 

fresh,  cwts 209  0     9 

Coflee,     "      1,917  0     4 

Molasses,  "    1,128  1   13 

Muscavado  sugar,cwts  14,071  3     7 
Teas,  various  quali- . . 

tics,  lbs 

Rum,    galls 

Tobacco,  lbs 

Cigars,      *'   


405,541 

1,528 

299,826 

2,990 


Snuff,         "   , 5,886 

Clocks  &  watches,  No.  507 

Books  and  paper,  pkgs.  1,668 

Coal,  tons '         1,143 

'Cotton  man'l'turs  pkgs.  888 

Glass,         '^           "  885 

Woolen      "           "  426 

Silk,            "           "  120 

Drugs  &  medicines"  345 
Fish, — dried  salted  and 

pickled,   cwts. 390  0     24 

Salt,  *ljbls 9,316 

Hardware,    pkgs 2,452 

Leather,  lbs 95,199 

Boots  and  shoes,  prs.  3,247 

Cider,   galls 3,935 

Appiesv  bush 2,732 

Potatoes,"     114 

Spirits,  galls 4'452 

Tallow,  bbls 1'515 

Raisins,  lbs 125,600 

Wines,  galls 2,153 


Total  value  of  imports,  including  other  goods  paying 
ad  valorem  duty, £168,377  0     0 

Vahie  of  free  goods — being  furniture,  household  ef- 
fects, tools,  «Scc. of  settlers  coming  into  the  Province---about         6,000  0     0 

Importation  of  specie, £104,645  16     8 


Flour,   bbls 

Wheat,  '*        

Pork,     "        

Beef,     "        

"      tcs 

Hams,    tons 

Ashes,  cks 

Butter,    kgs 

Lard         "    

Timothy  seed   bush. . . 

Oats,     bush 

Peas,        "      


EXPORTS. 

194,856  Starch,  bxs 600 

108,116  *Whiteinne  boards,  ft.  1,030,000 

4,133  Bricks, 1,030,000 

80  *Horn  tips  and 

65         scraps,  tons    11 

9  Woollen  cloths,  yds. . .  40,000 

283  Blankets,  prs 130 

20t)  'Sheep  pelts, 10,750 

283  *Furs  and    peltries, — 

176         value    about £2.000 

3,000  I  *Fresh    fish,— value . . 

1,000         about 500 


Total  estimated  value  of  exports £304,000 


*  These  to  the  United  States;  all  others  to  Lower  Canada  ports. 


AND   THE    ERIE    CANAL, 


43 


RKVKNUE. 

Total  revenue  on  importations  collected  during  the  year. . . .  £33.529  14  8 

INCREASE. 

Increased  export,  on  some  ot'  the  principal  articles,  over  the   jjrcceding 
year,  (1845.) 

Flour,  bbls. 41,G;}() 

Wheat,  bush 54,32t) 

Pork,  bbls 2,07(5 

Lard,kgs 18|| 

Increased  value  of  exports, £72,968 


Peas,  bush , 

Starch,  bxs 

White  pine  boards,  feet. 


475 

340 
130,000 


Value  of  some  of  the  principal  articles  imported. 


Books  and  paper...  £5,208  17  8 

Coffee 4,256  12  2 

Cotton  man'factures  8,225  19  7 

Drugs  and  medicines  3,799  6  3 

Fruit,  raisins,  &:c. . .  4,368  2  11 

Glass  manufactures.  2,584  19  3 

Hardware 9,481  18  8 

Leather  and  shoes . .  4,882  8  1 

Machinery 2,593  9  5 

Molasses  '. 614  8  8 

Salt 2,187  16  4 

Silk  manufactures . .  2,904  19  8 

Spirits 1,014  15  8 


Sugars 21,687  17 

Tallow 6,582     6 

Tea 40,015  10 

Tobacco,  snutij  and 

cigars 6,301    10 

Wines 666   12 

VVoolen  man'f'tures     9,768   13 
Included  in  the  tore- 
going  :   goods    im- 
ported from  the  U. 
S.,  for   benefit  of 
draicback — value,    39,192  14 
From  sea 4,498     4 


11 

3 


Vessels  entered  tlie  Port. 

Steamers  and  coasters  employed  between  British  ports 2,089 

From  foreign  ports,  with  carijoes (559  > 

"         "  "      in  ballast" 2  i 


661 


Total  arrivals  for  the  year 2,750 


List  of  Steamers,  Propellers,  and  otJter  vessels,  owned  on  Lake  Ontario,  and 
employed  on  tlie  inland  waters  of  Canada. 

57  Steamers,  (two  of  iron) — value £350,000 

6  Lake  Propellers 14,000 

2  Ships  ^ 

5  Brigantines,   >  of  30  tons  and  u[)wards 150,000 

9±  Schooners,     ) 

300  Barges 80,000 

7  River  Propellers 7,000 

Small  craft,  under  30  tons 17,000 

Total  value £(518,000 


44 


COMMERCE   OF    THE    LAKES 


Return  of  3Iills,  Foundries,  Factories,  Sfc. 
of  Toronto,  showing  the  estimated  value 
connected  therewith. 

87  grist  mills — value . . 

196  saw  mills 

12  oatmeal  mills 

14  foundries 

18  woolen  factories... 
50  carding  machines . . 

1  edge-tool  factory.  .. 

3  starch  factories .... 
28  distilleries 

6  soap  and  candle  fac- 
tories   


,  in  the  Hotne  District  and  City 
of  Machinery,  Buildings,  <SfC., 


£160,000 

1 

55,250 

3,800 

3 

20,000 

25,000 

2 

3,00^ 

2.oo(r 

36 
1 

2,500 

23 

10,825 

4,200 

cabinet  and  chair  fac 

tory  (steam).    . . . 

2,500 

cabinet   and    piano- 

forte  factories.  . . 

1,500 

paper  mills 

4,000 

tanneries 

15,000 

snuty  manufactory . . 

500 

breweries 

13,200 

Total £322,775 


Total  export  of  Flour  and  Wheat,  from  the  Home  District,  for  the  year 

1846. 


FLOUR.  Barrels. 

From  Toronto 194,856 

"     Oshawa 34,630 

"     Windsor 5.5,460 

"     Credit 11,450 

Total 296,396 


WHEAT.  Bushel,. 

From  Toronto 108,116 

"     Oshawa 1.5,560 

"     Windsor 24,300 

"     Credit 41,200 

Total 190,176 


Tlie  total  export  being  equal  to  334,431  bbls.  flour. 


''  I  have  thus  endeavored  to  answer  your  first  question, 
if  not  in  full,  at  least  sufficiently  so,  to  enable  you  to  form 
a  pretty  correct  idea  of  the  extent,  composition  and  value 
of  this  commerce." 

"  Question  2d. —  The '  Monied   Value  thereof  T  • 

"In  part  answer  to  this  question,  I  must  observe,  that 
the  money  value  from  year  to  year,  does  not  c^ive  any  real 
information  of  its  increase  ;  from  the  variation  in  the  pri- 
ces which  the  same  kind  of  ])roperty  bears  in  different 
years.  The  (^xports  may  be  much  greater  one  year  than 
another,  I)nt  from  the  prices  bein«"  less,  the  money  value 
would  not  sliow  it.  BlU  if  100,000  bbls  of  flour  are  sliipped 
one  year,  and  150,000  the  next,  tlie  business  has  evidently 


AND   THE   ERIE    CANAL,  45 

increased,  whether  the  money  value  shows  it  or  not.  In 
g-iving  the  business  in  kind  from  the  ports  I  have  men- 
tioned, I  have  added,  where  I  could,  the  money  value. 

"To  conclude  my  answer  to  this  question,  I  will  adopt 
the  same  method  I  did  last  year.  The  ascertained  value  of 
the  business  of  this  City  and  Black  Rock  done  on  the  Erie 
canal  and  which  came  from  and  went  on  to  the  lakes,  is  a 
litde  short  of $40,000,000 

"To  which  add  the  immense  quantities  of 
building-  materials,  coal,  raw  materials  for  our 
manufactures,  provisions  of  all  kinds  for  the 
supply  of  this  city  and  local  markets,  nearly 
the  whole  of  which  come  from  the  lakes,  and 
the  larg-e  business  done  on  the  rail-roads  and 
other  sources  to  and  from  the  lakes  may,  with 
great  safety,  be  placed  at 10,000,000 

Making-  a  total  of $50,000,000 

as  the  amount  of  commerce  of  this  port  alone ;  to  which 
must  be  added  the  amount  done  through  all  the  other  ports 
on  the  lakes,  and  the  large  amount  of  intermediate  com- 
merce between  the  different  ports,  all  of  which  I  consider 
equal  in  amount  to  that  done  through  Buffalo,  the  whole 
forming  an  aggregate  of  $100,000,000  as  the  money  value 
of  the  commerce  of  the  upper  lakes  in  1846,  against 
$66,000,000  in  1845;  and  this  without  taking  into  account 
the  large  sums  of  money  carried  over  the  lakes  either  year. 
A  great  increase  has  also  taken  place  on  lake  Ontario  this 
year.  In  1845  it  was  estimated  at  $15,000,000 ;  for  '46,  it 
may  with  safety  be  put  at  $18,000,000." 

"Question  od. — TJie  kind  of  Craft  used,  Steam  Boats, 
Propellers,  Sailing  Craft,  and  tonnage  ?" 


46 


COMMERCE    OF   THE    LAKES 


"In  the  year  1845,  there  were  the  following  number 
and  description  of  vessels  owned  and  running*  on  the 
Lakes  above  Niagara  Falls,  as  near  as  could  be  ascertained 
by  the  most  careful  inquiry : 

Tons. 

52  Steam   Boats, 20,500 

8  Propellers, 2,500 

50  Brigs, 11,000 

270  Schooners, 42,000 


380  76,000 

"  The  new  tonnage  added  in  1846,  and  which  has  all 
been  employed,  consisted  of  the  following  description  of 

vessels : 


Names.  Class. 

A.  D.  Patchin, Steamer. 

Louisiana. " 

Hendrik  Hudson, " 

Albany, " 

Saratoga, " 

Detroit, " 

Islander, " 

Nile, 

Algomah, " 

Mishawaka, 


10 


St.  Joseph, Propeller. 

Pocahontas, " 

California, " 

Oneida, 

Cleveland, " 

Lady   of  the   Lake, ....  " 

Delaware, " 

Globe,   

Goliah " 

Odd  Follow, 


10 


Utica, Bark  or  Brij 

C.  L.  Hutchinson, " 

Ellen  Parker, 

Patrick  Henry, " 

L.  A.  Blossom, " 

Fashion,. " 

.lohn  Hancock, *' . 

( J  recn  Mountain  PiO}',  •  •  " 

David  Smart, 


Wiiere  built.  Tuns. 

Trungo,  Mich 874 

Bufialo, 778 

Charleston,  0 751 

Detroit, 700 

Cleveland, 662 

Newport,    Mich., 350 

Kelly's  Island^  O., 80 

Nilcs,   Mich., 80 

Detroit,... 71 

'•       .34 


0 


Buffalo, 400 

"       427 

"        420 

Cleveland, 346 

342 

"  350 

Charleston,  () 336 

Maumee, 3l3 

Palmer,   Mich 280 

Grand  River,  Mich 200 

Milwaukee 334 

341 

Chicago, 332 

Euclid,  0 317 

Conneaut,  0 258 

Cleveland 282 

'•        260 

"        260 

Lexington,  0 203 


4,380 


3,414 


2,587 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL. 


47 


Ifamea.  Clasa. 

Outward  Bound, Schooner. 

Goo.  Davis, " 

Philena  Mills, " 

Denmark, " 

Lewis  Cass, ♦' 

Col.  Benton, '« 

Luther-  Wright, " 

Vincennes, '• 

G.  T.  Williams, 

C.  T.  Ivichmond, " 

Watts  Sherman, " 

Piuitan " 

Sea  Gal!, " 

S,  L.  Noble 

N.C.Walker, " 

E.Porter, " 

Ellen,    " 

Harwich, " 

Ireland " 

Westchester, " 

Wolcott,    " 

Alvin  Clark, '• 

New  Hampshire, " 

Forester,    " 

B.  G.  Allen, " 

Mary  A.  Lownd, " 

Pinta,    " 

M.  A.   Myers, " 

Saranac,    " 

Meteor, " 

.Tohn  Armstrong, " 

Gallinipper, •' 

St.   Clair, » 

Clemantine " 

Julia,   " 

Sweet  Home, " 


.36 


Bazma, Sloop. 

Butralo, 

Morning  Star, " 

Sun, " 

China, " 


Rialto, Scow. 

Liberator, '' 


Where  built.  Tons. 

Cleveland, 260 

Milan,  0 238 

Geneva,  0 228 

Cleveland, 237 

Charleston,  0 191 

Racine,  Wis 190 

Huron, 195 

Charleston, 186 

Irving,  N.  Y 167 

Cleveland, "^29 

Bufliilo, 199 

Milan,   223 

12.^) 

Fairport,  0 104 

Chicago, 127 

Milwaukee, 70 

Cleveland, 61 

"          75 

230 

Charleston, 208 

Maumoe, 40 

Truago, 220 

Kalamazoo, 80 

Detroit, 108 

"       '26 

"       79 

Builalo 55 

"      16 

Detroit, 39 

32 

"        26 

«         145 

«        35 

"        19 

"        34 

"        44 


Conneaut 10 

Detroit,   36 

"     38 

"      35 

"      61 


4,537 


Cleveland, 100 

"  '45 


180 


145 


Total  No.  of  vessels, 452         Total  amount  tonnage,..    91,243 

Deduct  the  estimated   tonnage   lost  during  the  season,  in  which  is 

included  3  Steam   Boats, 3,500 

Leaving  on  these  Lakes  for  the  business  of  1847,  tons. 87,743 


48 


COMMERCE   OF    T«E    LAKES 


"Some  hundreds  of  tons  have  hkewise  been  added  by 
rebiiildinof  and  enlaro-insf  old  vessels.  Several  new  and 
large  steamboats  have  been  built,  but  as  they  were  not 
finished  in  time  to  do  business  in  1846,  they  properly 
belong-  to  the  new  tonnag-e  of  1847  ;  I  therefore  exclude 
them.  A  very  large  number  of  vessels  of  all  descriptions, 
are  now  under  construction,  which  will  be  out  and  in  com- 
mission in  1847,  sufficient  to  swell  the  amount  to  a  g-ood 
deal  over  100,000  tons;  being-  an  increase  of  more  than 
33  1-3  per  cent,  in  two  years." 

"  Question  4th. —  Cost  of  the  same  ?  " 

"  The  capital  invested  in  the  various  description  of  ves- 
sels on  the  upper  lakes,  is  not  far  from  $6,000,000.  About 
$1,000,000  has  l^een  expended  during-  the  last  year  in  the 
construction  of  new,  and  the  repairing-,  fitting-  up  and  en- 
larg-ing-  old  ones." 

"  Question  5th. — Number  of  marmers  engaged  in  navi- 
gating the  craft  ?  " 

"  The  various  description  of  vessels  eng-ag-ed  in  this 
commerce,  employ,  as  seamen  and  others,  about  six  thou- 
sand persons  to  navig-ate  them." 

"  Question  6th. — Probable  annual  expense  of  sustaining 
mariners  and  craft  ?  " 

"  I  hav^  submitted  this  question  for  an  answer  to  some 
of  our  most  extensive  sliipping-  merchants,  and  they  have 
furnished  me  with  the  figures  of  their  calculation,  by 
which  it  appears,  that  the  amount  paid  out,  for  wages, 
wood,  coal,  provisions,  current  repairs,  and  other  expen- 
ses, (exclusive  of  insurance  and  interest  on  the  capital)  is 
about  $1,750,000  ;  which  will,  of  course,  increase  as  our 
Lake  Marine  enlarges." 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  49 

"  Question  7th. — Number  of  2Xisscngers  West  and  East, 
from  Buffalo,  for  years  above  stated  ?  " 

"  Since,  and  including-,  the  year  1833,  down  to  the  close 
of  1846,  with  the  exception  of  '36,  '37,  and  '38,  an  annual 
Association  has  been  formed  among-st  all  the  steamboats  on 
the  Lakes,  and  their  accounts  settled  at  one  office.  With 
this  Association,  I  have  been  connected,  in  the  capacity  of 
Secretary  and  General  Ag-ent,  for  the  whole  time  it  has 
existed,  except  the  years  1835  and  1839. 

"  As  such  ag-ent,  I  had  the  charg-e  of  all  the  way-bills  of 
the  different  boats,  containing-  the  names  of  passengers  up 
and  down  the  lakes.  In  1833, 1  was  very  careful  in  keeping- 
an  account  of  the  number  each  way.  Ag-ain  in  1845,  this 
was  done  by  a  g-entleman  of  g-reat  correctness,  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Association.  He  reported  the  number  and 
designated  the  places  where  they  landed  going  up ;  and  a 
computation  of  the  passengers  from  the  West  was  made ; 
also,  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  those  who  took  other 
conveyances  than  steamboats — and  he  made  the  total 
number  passing  in  all  directions  through  these  Upper  Lakes 
to  be  near  200,000. 

"  This  season,  that  is,  for  1846,  the  number  has  increased 
twenty-five  per  cent,  estimating  from  the  receipts  of  the 
boats,  and  compared  with  1845,  which  will  give  a  total 
of  250,000.  A  greater  number  than  usual  of  the  icp  pas- 
sengers have  been  emigrants.  No  account  has  ever  been 
made  of  the  number  of  passengers  for  any  other  years,  than 
those  I  have  stated." 

"  Question  8th. — Probable  rate  of  i7icrease  of  this  Com- 
merce, and  any  viems  which  in  your  judgement  would  serve 
to  illustrate  these  several  points^  and  also  in  reference  to 
the  trade  of  the  Western  Rivers  ?" 


50  COMMERCE    OP    THE   LAKES 

"A  greater  increase  in  the  number  and  tonnage  of  the 
various  description  of  vessels  used,  is  now  under  construc- 
tion around  these  lakes,  this  winter,  than  has  ever  taken 
place  in  any  one  year  before.  Large  quantities  of  grain  of 
last  year's  crop,  remain  on  hand  to  go  to  market  next 
spring ;  and  the  high  prices  which  all  kinds  of  agricultural 
products  bare,  will  carry  every  thing  of  that  kind  forward; 
and  will  furnish  the  means  to  largely  increase  the  return 
Commerce. 

"  The  quantity  of  land  under  cultivation  is  much  great- 
er than  formerly,  and  so  far  as  I  can  get  information,  the 
crops  in  the  ground,  look  and  promise  well.  Should  we 
have  a  favorable  season  we  may  safely  believe  a  much 
greater  cultivation  of  summer  crops  will  be  made  than  has 
heretofore  been  done.  Corn  has  become  an  estabhshed 
article  of  food  and  commerce  with  the  Old  World,  and  the 
price  it  will  bring  in  market,  will  furnish  strong  induce- 
ments to  extend  its  culture,  large  as  it  is,  in  the  Western 
States.  The  population  around  these  lakes  has  swelled  to 
that  number,  and  are  so  well  supplied  with  all  that  is 
necessary  to  aid  them,  they  work  to  better  advantage 
than  during  their  early  and  more  dependant  condition.  All 
these  things  combined,  must  continue  to  augment  this 
commerce,  but  at  what  rate  per  cent  I  will  not  undertake  to 
say. 

"  My  knowledge  of  the  commerce  of  the  Western  rivers 
is  not  personal,  but  is  gathered  altogether  from  the  pub- 
lished statements  I  see  in  the  newspapers.  That  it  is 
now  very  large,  and  increasing  very  rapidly,  giving  em- 
ployment to  capital  and  labor,  is  clearly  shown  in  the 
statements  of  it,  made  from  year  to  year.  That  it  will 
continue  to  increase,  and»very  greatly  too,  must,  from  the 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  51 

necessity  of  the  case,  be  the  fact.  The  older  parts  of  the 
West,  who  use  these  channels,  are  filling  up  with  people ; 
while  far  beyond,  new  opening's  are  being-  made  in  rich 
and  productive  lands.  Nothing-  can  stay  its  forward 
g-rowth. 

"  This  commerce,  like  that  of  the  Lakes,  has  already  be- 
come so  larg-e,  such  immense  amounts  of  property  pass 
them  exposed  to  all  the  dangers  of  their  navigation,  that  a 
settled  and  deep  conviction  has  taken  possession  of  the 
public  mind,  something  must  be  done  for  its  protection. 
The  remedy  is  beyond  the  power  of  individual  effort,  and 
not  within  the  prescribed  duties  and  rights  of  the  several 
States  through  which  these  Lakes  and  Rivers  run.  The 
necessity  and  the  duty,  therefore,  falls  upon  the  General  Go- 
vernment to  step  forward  and  do  what  no  one  else  can  do, 
and  thus  confer  honor  on  itself,  in  consulting  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  present  many,  and  the  coming  millions,  who  will 
in  time  inhabit  these  portions  of  our  common  country. 

"  Having  thus  answered  your  several  questions,  I  will, 
as  invited,  make  some  general  remarks  appertaining  to  the 
business. 

"Almost  every  other  port  around  these  Lakes,  as  well 
as  Buffalo,  Cleveland  and  Sandusky,  are  visited  by  foreign 
vessels  ;  but  from  them  only,  have  I  seen  any  report  pub- 
lished, of  the  number  wliich  has  entered  and  cleared. 
These  foreign  vessels  do  not  visit  our  ports  merely  for  the 
purpose  of  introducing  imports  for  sale,  but  to  purchase 
and  carry  off  our  own  products. 

"A  very  extensive  business  is  done  at  the  ports  of  Black 
River,  Grand  River,  Ashtabula,  Conneaut,  Barcelona,  Silver 
Creek  and  Cattaraugus,  on  Lake  Erie,  in  the  aggregate  to 
several  millions  of  dollars;  but  I  am  not  in  possession  of 


52  COMMERCE   OP    THE   LAKES 

details  enoug-h  of  their  business  to  specify  the  amount  and 
of  what  it  is  composed.  The  same  blank  exists  with  me, 
with  reg-ard  to  the  details  of  the  commerce  of  all  the  ports 
on  Lake  Michigan,  except  the  fragments  of  their  business 
I  have  stated;' 

It  is  greatly  to  be  desired,  and  I  hope  it  may  be  done  at 
the  close  of  the  business  in  1847,  that  every  port  around 
these  lakes,  will  make  up  detailed  statements  of  their  ex- 
ports and  imports,  with  the  value  of  each,  distinguishing 
between  Foreign  and  American,  the  number  of  arrivals 
and  departures,  foreign  and  coastwise;  the  names  and 
number  of  tons  of  each  steamboat,  propeller,  and  sail  ves- 
sel, marking  the  new  ones  that  come  out  and  do  business 
in  1847,  and  the  number  of  men  required  to  navigate 
them,  stating  the  collection  district  within  which  the  port 
is  situated;  with  the  losses  in  number  of  vessels  and  tons, 
amount  of  damage  and  loss  of  cargo,  and  including  the 
number  of  lives  lost,  if  any,  and  all  other  particulars  of  the 
commerce  of  that  port.  Could  this  be  done  ibr  only  one 
year,  and  some  person  would  undertake  the  labor  of  col- 
lecting and  arranging  these  different  reports  in  the  aggre- 
gate, it  would  present  the  most  correct  and  gratifying  view 
of  the  lake  commerce  ever  obtained. 

This  is  the  only  way  I  can  think  of,  that  justice  can  be 
done  to  each  port,  or  to  the  general  commerce  of  all,  or 
its  magnitude  and  importance  at  all  realised,  save  by  those 
only  who  are  engaged  in  it,  or  reside  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  lakes. 

"  The  whole  season  of  navigation  has  been  unusually 
favorable  to  operations  on  the  lakes,  and  fewer  disasters 
in  loss  of  lives  and  vessels,  and  damage  of  ])roperty  have 
occurred  this  year  than  the  last.     What  losses  did  occur, 


AND   THE   ERIE    CANAL.  53 

generally  took  place  late  in  the  season.  The  amount  of 
tonnag-e  lost  is  not  far  from  three  thousand  five  hundred 
tons ;  amongst  other  vessels  lost,  were  three  Steam  Boats. 
No  very  full  and  accurate  accounts  of  .losses  in  lives  and 
property  have  been  collected,  but  from  such  as  I  have,  the 
losses  in  vessels  and  cargoes  will  be  about  $200,000,  and 
the  number  of  lives,  thirty-five." 

"As  the  tonnage  on  the  Lakes  increases,  more  and 
more  inconvenience  is  felt  and  expressed  about  the  want 
of  harbors  of  some  kind  to  shelter  it  in.  The  water  in  all 
the  Lakes,  in  1846,  had  reached  a  very  low  stage,  owing, 
probably,  in  some  measure,  to  a  succession  of  two  or  three 
very  dry  and  hot  summers,  causing  great  evaporation,  and 
but  httle  rain  falling  during'  the  same  time,  there  was  no 
new  sup])ly  to  replenish  them.  The  water  in  Lake  Erie, 
during  the  spring  and  fall  months,  particularly  the  fall,  was 
uncommonly  low ;  to  that  degree,  as  to  render  it  quite  in- 
convenient, if  not  dangerous,  to  enter  any  port  on  this 
Lake  except  Grand  River,  with  large  vessels  full  freighted. 
And  the  labor  and  expense,  from  the  same  cause,  have 
been  greatly  increased,  in  getting  steamboats  and  vessels 
over  the  flats  in  Lake  St.  Clair.  It  has  required,  during 
the  whole  season,  two  and  sometimes  four  steamboats, 
with  other  lighters,  to  aid  the  various  craft  employed  in 
the  Upper  Lake  trade,  to  pass." 

"  A  vigorous  effort  was  made  last  season,  by  a  few  indi- 
viduals, in  the  hope  that  all  interested  in  vessels  would 
heartily  unite  and  pay  their  proportion,  to  deepen  the  chan- 
«el  through  these  flats.  They  obtained  the  use  of  the 
government  steam  dredge  at  Erie,  towed  it  to  the  flats, 
and  employed  a  superintendent  and  forty  men  for  about 
two  months,  when,  finding  but  little  disposition  generally 


54  COMMERCE   OP    THE   LAKES 

to  contribute  any  thing  towards  the  expense,  and  it  be- 
coming- very  onerous  to  a  few,  after  spending  several  thou- 
sand dollars,  they  did,  as  the  government  has  done  in  all 
its  works  on  these  Lakes,  abandon  their  undertaking,  in- 
curring the  loss  of  the  money  expended,  without  any  bene- 
fit, because  unable  to  complete  it.  A  few  thousand  dollars 
more  would  have  made  this  channel  very  available,  and 
saved  many  thousands  of  dollars  annually  paid  for  light- 
erage to  cross  it.  The  money  appropriated  in  the  River  and 
Harbor  BUI,  ($40,000)  at  the  last  session  of  Coiagress,would 
have  been  much  more  than  saved  to  the  Western  people , 
during  1846,  in  the  cheapening  of  the  freight  on  their  pro- 
perty, which  must  pass  here,  be  the  expense  what  it  may. 

"  The  water  in  these  Lakes  is  the  highest  in  July  and 
August,  having  received  the  benefit  of  the  spring  rains  and 
melting  of  the  snows  in  the  boundless  regions  of  the  North- 
West.  During  these  months  the  freighting  and  pressure 
of  business  is  the  lightest,  and  vessels  experience  less 
difficulty  on  these  flats  and  the  want  of  harbor  improve- 
ments. The  spring  and  fall  months  are  the  times  when 
the  business  is  rushing — when  more  vessels,  more  pro- 
perty, and  more  lives,  are  exposed  to  the  mercy  of  the 
elements. 

"  Capt.  Miles,  who  had  charge  of  the  Steam  Dredge  on 
these  flats,  reports  that  in  July  last,  the  following  vessels 
passed  them : 

Steamboats, 71 

Propellers, 37 

Brigs, 59 

Schooners, 128 

Coasters, 81 

Total, 376 

of  which  31  grounded  and  lightered  in  crossing.  From  the 
18th  to  the  30th  June,  he  says  he  did  not  keep  a  register, 


AND   THE   ERIE   CANAL.  55 

but  a  greater  number  of  brigs  and  schooners  passed,  and  a 
greater  number  in  proportion  grounded,  and  were  lighteerd 
and  towed  over  the  flats  than  in  the  month  of  July. 

''  The  foregoing  list  of  vessels  passing  these  flats  in  one 
month,  will  give  a  pretty  fair  idea  of  the  present  commerce 
west  of  Detroit;  and  which  is  largely  increasing  every 
year. 

"  To  give  some  faint  conception  how  rapidly  the  great 
West  is  being  settled  and  improved,  and  the  vast  business 
to  pass  ovei'  these  lakes  in  a  few  short  years,  to  and  from 
this  quarter,  I  will  present  the  change  which  has  taken 
place  in  Wisconsin : 

In  1830  the  population  was 3,245 

1836         "                   » 11,680 

1840        "                   «        30,945 

1842        «                   "        46,678 

1846  in  July, 15.5,227 

and  the  influx  of  emigrants  the  past  year  has  been  greater 
than  any  previous  season.  Up  to  1840  they  imported  their 
supplies  of  every  kind,  including  provisions.  In  1846,  they 
not  only  fed  themselves,  but  supplied  the  army  of  new 
emigrants;  and  of  their  surplus  remaining,  they  exported 
through  the  lakes  between  three  and  four  millions  of  dol- 
lars in  value,  mainly  in  agricultural  products.  Of  the  lead 
and  shot  made  in  the  same  State,  during  the  last  year,  and 
which  principally  sought  a  market  via.  the  Mississippi 
,  River,  I  cannot  state,  but  it  is  known  to  be  very  large  in 
quantity  and  value. 

"  There  was  sold  in  the  Milwaukie  Land  District,  from 
January  to  December  1846,  352,220  acres  of  land,  for 
which  there  was  received  $417,896;  by  which  it  appears 
that  this  land  district  alone,  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the 
United  States  near  half  a  million  of  dollars.     Could  only  a 


56  COMMERCE   OF  THE    LAKES 

small  portion  of  this  money  been  allowed  to  be  expended 
in  making-  that  harbor  accessible  to  vessels  in  stormy  wea- 
ther, I  should  not  have  to  record  the  loss  of  the  Steamboat 
Boston,  (costing-  over  $60,000  in  the  spring-,  when  she 
came  out)  filled  with  emigrants  and  others  with  their 
effects,  g"oing  to  take  possession  of  their  newly  purchased 
land,  being  driven  on  the  shore  of  the  lake  and  wrecked, 
near  the  mouth  of  a  harbor  which  should  have  sheltered 
her,  but  into  which  she  could  not  enter. 

"There  are  other  significant  changes  going  forward  in 
the  West  of  no  little  importance — they  are  rapidly  conver- 
ting Territories  into  States,  important  ingredients  with  poli- 
ticians, in  President  making.  As  States  increase  in  that 
quarter,  vetoes,  injuriously  affecthig  their  most  vital  inte- 
rests, will  become  much  less  necessary. 

"  Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  Lake  Commerce  for  the 
year  1846.  A  commerce  as  much  national  and  foreign  in 
its  character  as  that  which  floats  on  the  Atlantic,  and  grea- 
ter in  amount  in  value  than  the  whole  export  commerce 
of  the  country,  from  all  its  seaports.  Scarcely  a  pound 
of  this  commerce  but  moves  for  hundreds  of  miles  in  sight 
of  a  foreign  country,  and  one  with  which  it  has  great  and 
constantly  increasing  transactions.  A  commerce  which 
the  Government  has  surrounded  with  its  Custom  Houses, 
thrown  the  strong  arm  of  its  courts  of  admiralty  over  it, 
and  visits  upon  it  the  same  penalties  for  its  infractions  of 
the  revenue  laws,  that  is  meted  out  to  the  Ocean  com- 
merce. But  it  is  treated  by  many  as  not  entitled  of  right 
to  a  just  proportion  of  public  expenditures  for  its  protec- 
tion and  safety,  because  God,  in  His  wisdom,  did  not  cause 
salt  water  instead  of  fresh  to  fill  those  great  Lakes,  and 
create  a  tide  that  would  ebb  and  flow  upon  them." 


AND    THE    ERIE    CANAL.  57 

"  It  has  strug-g-led,  during-  its  whole  existence,  with  the 
greatest  of  difficulties  and  ex])osure  to  the  elements,  with- 
out suitable  harbors  to  shelter  it  in ;  but  it  has  been  con- 
ducted by  a  race  of  men  of  untiring-  enterprise  and  indus- 
try, and  they  have  broug-ht  it  to  its  present  commanding- 
position.  Its  importance  to  our  common  country,  in  every 
point  of  view,  is  daily  more  and  more  being-  realised  and 
acknowledg-ed,  its  friends  are  increasing-  and  clustering- 
around  it  in  g-reat  numbers  and  decision  of  purpose ;  and 
they  have  only  to  persevere,  being-  well  assured  that  this 
g-reat  national  source  of  prosperity,  involving-  the  best 
interests  of  so  many  States,  will,  ere  long-,  succeed  in 
having-  its  just  share  of  public  expenditures  for  its  protec- 
tion and  safety." 


THE  TEUE  CANAL  POLICY 


STATE    OF   NEW-YORK 


Connected  with  the  future  growth  and  progress  of  the 
Lake  Commerce  is,  the  necessity  of  some  channel  of  suffi- 
cient capacity  to  pass  the  annually  increasing  productions 
of  the  West  to  the  seal^oard,  and  to  supply  their  return 
wants.  The  Erie  Canal,  in  its  present  limited  condition,  is 
unable  to  do  it,  and  the  pressure  that  will  be  made  upon 
it,  will  cause  the  price  of  transportation  to  be  kept  at  such 
a  high  rate,  as  greatly  to  diminish  in  value,  not  only  the 
property  of  the  Western  people,  but  that  of  our  own  citi- 
zens, to  get  their  products  to  market. 

The  producers  of  New- York  must  not  expect  they  can 
have  their  property  transported  any  cheaper  than  what  the 
Western  people  are  obliged  to  pay,  and  the  quantity  to  be 
carried  will  so  cei'tainly  increase  as  to  always  keep  the 
price  of  transportation  at  a  high  rate,  and  prevent  the  car- 
riage to  market  of  a  vast  quantity  of  property  of  cheap 
value,  that  would  otherwise  go  there.  Only  the  most  valu- 
able productions  of  the  country  will  be  able  to  sustain 
themselves  under  the  high  price  of  transportation,  and 


THE    TRUE    CANAL    POLICY.  59 

there  will  be  always  enough  of  them  to  employ  all  the  ton- 
nage the  canal  can  accommodate.  Staves,  coarse  lumber, 
coal,  and  a  variety  of  cheap  articles,  which  can  only  be 
moved  on  canals,  and  which  would  furnish  a  vast  amount 
of  employment  lor  labor,  and  give  fair  returns  to  the  own- 
ers, if  the  canal  was  sufficiently  large  to  enable  larger 
sized  and  a  greater  number  of  boats  to  move  on  it,  will  be 
entirely  excluded. 

The  growth  of  the  West  cannot  be  impeded  or  checked, 
it  has  become  too  strong  and  forehanded  for  that :  it  will 
go  on,  and  if  the  State  of  New-York  is  not  desirous  of  do- 
hig  their  business  and  receiving  the  revenue  it  will  afford, 
other  channels  will  be  sought  out,  and  other  States  will  be 
glad  to  get  what  we  reject.  Western  products  icill  seek 
a  market  on  the  seaboard,  and  come  into  competition  with 
our  own.  We  can  charge  their  property  so  high  as  to 
prevent  its  passage  through  our  channels^  but  we  must 
suffer  the  consequent  loss  of  revenue  and  business  which 
their  trade  would  give  us ;  and  which  would  be  an  impor- 
tant offset  for  the  diminution  in  the  price  we  should  have  to 
submit  to,  when  our  property  met  theirs  in  the  seaboard 
market. 

Our  Cities  and  Towns  would  grow  but  slowly,  our  do- 
mestic markets  would  be  curtailed,  our  farmers,  instead  of 
selling  at  home  for  good  prices  their  surplus,  relieved  from 
the  charges  of  distant  transportation  and  other  expenses, 
would  have  their  products  subjected  to  all  these  incum- 
brances and  be  under  the  necessity  of  selling  in  markets 
overstocked  from  other  States. 

Only  two  or  three  years  ago  much  anxiety  was  felt 
about  the  draft  the  Welland  Canal  was  makini^f  on  the  bu- 
siness  and  revenue  of  the  State,  and  much  fear  expressed 


60  THE    TRUE   CANAL   POLICY 

that  the  then  existing  high  rate  of  toll  would  force  the 
greater  portion  of  the  business  via.  Oswego  through  the 
Well  and  Canal  to  and  from  the  Western  States.  The  Ca- 
nal Board  most  wisely  reduced  the  rates  of  toll,  and  such 
immediate  and  beneficial  effects  have  resulted  from  this 
sensible  and  judicious  course,  that  the  increase  of  business 
it  has  drawn  towards  these  two  routes  is  so  great,  as  to 
overstock  both,  and  has  added  largely  to  the  revenues  of 
the  State.  No  complaint  is  heard  about  the  want  of  busi- 
ness on  either  route ;  but  both  say,  increase  the  capacity 
of  the  Canal  sufficient  to  keep  up  with  the  business  seek- 
ing to  be  done  upon  it. 

New  channels  of  communication  are  opening  every  year 
throughout  the  Western  States,  all  leading  in  this  direction; 
and  a  new  source  of  business,  the  Canada  trade,  is  fully 
open  to  us  by  the  late  laws  of  Congress ;  which  will  give 
a  large  increase  of  business  to  the  Erie  Canal.  In  proof 
of  this,  there  was  of  one  single  article,  that  of  sugar,  no 
less  than  2,500  tons  transported  on  the  Erie  Canal,  and 
exported  into  Canada,  via.  Oswego,  in  1846,  with  large 
quantities  of  other  articles,  both  ways.  The  advantage  to 
the  Canadians  of  this  route  has  been  fully  illustrated  the 
past  season;  and  preparations  are  now  making  there,  for 
using  this  channel  extensively  the  coming  season,  in  pas- 
sing off  their  productions,  and  receiving  in  return  the  great- 
er portion  of  their  supplies.  They  deem  it  important  to 
have  the  choice  of  channels — particularly  as  the  navigation 
of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  for  over  six  months,  is  ob- 
structed by  ice,  and  during  two  or  three  other  months  more 
it  is  c|uite  hazardous.  So  long  as  cheap  freight  and  insu- 
rance rates  are  kept  upon  the  Erie  Canal,  this  route,  via. 
Oswego,  Buffalo,  and  other  American  ports,  will  be  the 


OP    THE    STATE    OF    NEW-YORK.  61 

preferred  one.  If  our  Canal  was  enlarg-ed,  almost  the 
entire  trade  of  Upper  Canada  would  seek  that  thannel 
under  the  drawback  law. 

The  following-  resolutions  have  been  recently  passed  at 
a  meeting  of  Merchants,  held  in  the  City  of  Toronto,  Upper 
Canada,  expressive  of  their  feelings  and  intentions  on  this 
subject : 

Resolved,  1.  That  the  system  of  forwarding  merchandise,  prac- 
tised in  Canada,  and  the  character  of  our  passage  boats,  are  ill 
adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  Province,  and  have  entailed  serious 
loss  and  inconvenience  on  the  mercantile  interests  of  the  country. 
That  this  meeting  is  deeply  iQipressed  with  the  necessity  of  a  speedy 
and  entire  reform  of  the  system,  and  resolves  to  take  immediate 
steps  for  the  organization  of  a  Joint  Stock  Company,  the  object  of 
which  shall  be  to  place  on  the  Canadian  waters  a  line  of  Steamers 
and  Propellers,  adequate  to  transacting  the  business  of  the  country, 
in  the  best  manner,  and  at  the  lowest  possible  rates. 

2.  That  the  urgent  necessity  of  having  a  line  of  Steamers  or 
Foreign  Propellers  established  between  Toronto  and  Oswego,  at 
an  early  day,  is  deeply  felt  by  this  meeting,  and  it  is  of  o])inion  that 
the  first  exertion  of  the  new  Company  should  be  devoted  to  this 
branch  of  the  trade. 

3.  That  a  Stock  Book  be  now  opened,  and  that  a  Managing 
Committee  be  appointed  to  bring  the  movement  before  the  public, 
and  procure  subscriptions  to  the  capital  stock  of  the  Company;  and 
that  so  soon  as  the  sum  of  X5000  or  over  has  been  subscribed,  the 
committee  shall  call  a  meeting  of  the  stockholders,  to  determine  the 
future  course  of  the  Association,  and  to  elect  Directors. 

During  the  season  of  1847,  the  Illinois  Canal  will  be 
completed,  connecting  the  Lakes  with  the  Mississippi  Ri- 
ver, and  extending  tlie  area  of  trade  immensely.  At  De- 
troit, the  Central  Railroad  of  Michigan,  running  through  a 
populous  and  well-cultivated  portion  of  the  State,  termi- 
nates. The  Pontiac  Railroad,  running  into  another  im]3or- 
tant  part  of  the  State,  likewise  ends  at  Detroit.  At  Mon- 
roe, the  Southern  Railroad  of  Michigan  ends.  This  Road 
passes  through  the  Southern  tier  of  Counties  in  that  State, 
afteady  large  exporters  of  produce.     At  Toledo,  two  Ca- 


62  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY 

nals  and  one  Railroad  come  in.  One,  the  Wabash  Canal, 
upon  which  much  business  was  done  in  1846,  will  this 
year  be  much  improved,  and  be  made  capable  of  doing-  a 
great  deal  more.  This  Canal  passes  tl«*ough  the  heart  of 
the  greatest  corn  growing-  and  pork  making  portion  of  the 
Western  country,  from  whence  an  immense  amount  of  trade 
will  seek  the  Erie  Canal,  as  the  preferred  channel  for  a 
market.  The  other,  the  Miami  Extension,  branches  from 
the  Wabash  Canal  to  Cincinnati,  and  passes  through  one 
of  the  richest  portions  of  the  State  of  Ohio.  The  Erie 
and  Kalamazoo  Railroad  runs  into  the  interior,  in  much  the 
same  direction  as  the  Southern  Railroad  of  Michigan.  At 
the  City  of  Sandusky,  two  Railroads  meet  the  Lake ;  one, 
running  to  Cincinnati,  completed  the  entire  distance  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  miles — the  other,  to  Mansfield,  in 
Richland  County,  through  some  of  the  greatest  wheat- 
growing  Counties  of  the  State.  At  Cleveland,  the  Ohio 
Canal  connects  the  Lake  and  the  Ohio  River  together  ;  this 
Canal,  after  running  into  the  State  some  distance,  has  short 
cuts  and  other  Canals,  radiating  from  it  into  other  parts  of 
the  State.  The  Erie  Extension  Canal,  from  Erie  to  the 
Ohio  River,  was  opened  for  business  in  1845,  and  furnished 
a  large  amount  of  trade  for  our  Canal,  which  will  be  an- 
nually increasing.  The  extensive  _  iron  and  coal  beds, 
through  which  this  Canal  passes,  or  near  to,  and  the  very 
extensive  and  valuable  timber  in  that  part  of  Pennsylvania, 
for  making  staves  and  lor  other  purposes,  will  add  greatly 
to  the  business  to  be  done  upon  it.  There  are  now  more 
than  one  dozen  furnaces  (and  more  erecting)  for  making 
pig  iron  and  castings,  along  the  line  of  the  Canal,  that  de- 
sire to  use  the  Erie  Canal  route,  and  through  our  State,  to 
find  a  market.     And  tiie  whole  trade  of  Upper  Canada  lie- 


OF    *fHE    STAtE    OF    NEW-YORK.  63 

iug-  now  open  to  us,  is  equally  desirous  use  this  same  I'oute, 
as  being-  the  cheapest,  safest,  and  most  expeditious  one  to  . 
do  their  business  upon. 

Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  great  avenues  already- 
opened  and  being-  opened,  leading  to  the  Erie  Canal,  and 
which  are  being-  improved  to  do  business — surrounded  by 
extensively  fertile  lands,  occupied  by  industrious  and  enter- 
prising settlers,  who  are  diligently  and  successfully  devel- 
oping- the  resources  of  the  country  through  which  these 
channels  pass,  at  a  rate  that  almost  surpasses  compre- 
hension. 

The  vast  productions  of  the  Western  country  must  find 
market  on  the  seaboard.  Is  not  this  trade  worth  secur- 
ing, not  only  for  the  revenues  it  would  put  into  the  State 
Treasury,  but  for  the  immense  additional  business  it  would 
furnish  to  our  citizens,  in  the  various  occupations  in  which 
they  are  engaged  ? 

This  Western  trade  is  a  great  prize,  in  the  estimation  of 
other  States  and  Foreign  countries,  and  is  deemed  by  them 
worth  very  large  expenditures  to  obtain  it,  or  only  a  por- 
tion of  it.  On  one  side,  the  British  Government  are  ex- 
pending very  large  sums  in  improving  their  channels  of 
communication,  to  invite  this  trade  through  them  by  every 
convenience  that  great  outlays  of  money  can  give ;  on  the 
other,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,*  Virginia,  Carolina  and 
Louisiana,  are  not  idle  competitors.  At  this  very  time, 
a  convention  is  in  session  in  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania, 
the  business  of  which  is  to  construct  a  railroad,  connecting 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  with  the  Lakes.  This  work,  if 
done,  will  require  an  outlay  of  many  millions  of  dollars, 
hut  will  never  be  an  Erie  canal. 


64  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY 

Shall  no  corresponding  effort,  at  a  much  less  outlay  in 
.money  and  time,  be  made  by  the  State  of  New- York,  not 
to  g-et,  for  that  she  already  has;  but  to  preserve,  increase, 
and  ever  retain  this  rapidly  accumulating-  trade?  This  is 
an  important  matter  to  this  State,  in  its  varied  Ag-ricultural, 
Mechanical,  Mercantile  and  Commercial  relations,  and  to 
no  portion  of  it,  is  it  of  g-reater  consequence  than  to  the 
city  of  New-York. 

From  the  very  beg-inning-  of  that  city,  down  to  July, 
1817,  when  the  construction  of  the  Erie  Canal  was  com- 
menced, a  period  of  near  two  hundred  years,  with  all  her 
outward  trade,  and  every  sea  in  the  world  at  her  command 
she  had  reached  in  population  to  about  125,000,  and  was 
limited  in  wealth  and  facilities  of  business.  That  g-reat 
fountain  of  wealth,  the  internal  trade  of  the  country,  she 
had  never  broached ; — the  ploug-h  of  the  woods  and  prairies 
had  never  filled  her  broad  and  capacious  harbor  with  the 
white  sails  of  commerce ; — the  g-reat  Erie  Canal  had  not 
been  constructed.  Since  1817,  all  these  things  have  been 
done,  and  what  is  her  condition  now?  Her  popula- 
tion has  grown  to  500,000,  if  we  include  the  numerous 
towns  around  her,  and  which  have  grown  up  out  of  her; 
her  wealth  has  increased  to  that  degree  that  she  controls 
the  financial  operations  of  the  Nation,  steam  and  sail  ves- 
sels visit  her  port  from  every  quarter  of  the  world,  and 
she  is  felt  and  acknowledged  as  the  great  Commniercial 
Emporium  of  the  Continent. 

I  am  not  in  possession  of  recent  statistics  of  that  city, 
to  present  her  greatness  as  it  is  at  this  time,  but  I  have 
some  of  former  years,  showing  her  gigantic  strides  to 
wealth  and  greatness,  as  well  as  the  leeer  which  set  her 
in  motion. 


OF    THE    STATE    OP    NEW-YORK.  65 

In  1817,  the  valuation  of  property  in  that  city  was 
$57,799,435;  from  '17  to '25,  eight  years,  during-  which 
an  extensive  foreign  commerce  was  carried  on,  the  in- 
crease was  less  than  a  million  of  dollars.  In  the  fall  of 
1825,  the  Erie  Canal  was  opened,  from  Lake  Erie  to  the 
Hudson,  and  so  g-reat  was  the  impulse  given  to  trade  by 
this  extension  of  internal  communication  icith  the  West, 
that  in  three  years  thereafter,  nearly  nineteen  millions  of 
dollars  were  added  to  the  assessor's  lists.  From  1825  to 
to  the  completion  of  the  Ohio  Canal  in  1832,  a  steady  and 
great  increase  appears,  and  in  1833,  the  total  valuation  of 
real  estate  had  swelled  to  over  114,000,000,  and  in  1841, 
this  was  swelled  to  the  farther  and  enormous  amount  of 
more  than  186,000,000 ;  thus  clearly  showing  the  immense 
influence  of  the  Erie  Canal  on  the  prosperity  of  that  city, 
and  the  consequent  increase  of  the  value  of  property. 

These  are  some  of  the  effects  produced  on  that  city  by 
the  construction  of  the  Erie  Canal,  bringing  to  her  market 
the  rich  and  constantly  accumulating  trade  of  the  West. 
If  such  have  been*  the  benefits  to  that  city  by  the  Erie  Ca- 
nal, while  in  its  minority,  what  may  she  not  expect  from 
it  now  that  it  has  reached  its  majority,  (being  twenty-one 
years  last  fall  since  it  was  finished  alid  navigated  its  whole 
length,)  if  it  is  permitted  to  have  a  suitable  capital ;  that  is, 

ENLARGED  IN  SIZE  AND  TOLLS  REDUCED  ! 

This  important  source  of  her  greatness  and  wealth,  was 
conceived,  and  executed  against  hgr  wishes,  and  met  with 
her  opposition  in  all  its  progress  of  construction ;  and  al- 
though faithfully  and  successfully  has  it  served  her  since  it 
was  built,  it  has  never  succeeded  in  creating  any  very  warm 
feeling  in  its  behalf  Her  political  and  business  men  have 
matters  of  more  importance,  they  think,  to  attend  to ;  her 

H 


66  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY 

deleg-atioii  in  the  Legislature,  save  once  and  a  while  an 
exception,  never  speak  of  this  work  or  do  any  thing-  to 
promote  its  usefuhiess,  because,  as  one  of  the  members 
from  that  city,  a  few  years  ag-o  said,  in  refusing-  to  serve  as 
one  of  the  Canal  Committee,  "  that  his  constituents  had  no 
interest  in  it.''  Her  papers  are  g-eaerally  silent,  if  not 
openly  ojiposed  to,  and  can  find  no  time  to  enlighten  the 
public  mind  on  this  important  subject,  or  direct  attention 
to  it. 

The  city  of  New- York  is  a  strong-  advocate  of  the  doc- 
trine of  low  tariffs  and  free  trade  (I  don't  say  whether 
rig-ht  or  wrong-,  I  merely  state  the  fact)  with  all  the  world, 
barbarian  as  well  as  christian,  but  her  sympathies  and  efforts 
are  only  so,  for  the  foreign  trade.  Low  tariffs  of  tolls  and 
cheapened  transportation  on  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  inter- 
nal trade  of  the  country  has  never  been  worthy  her  atten- 
tion— her  own  suffering  poor  (amidst  all  her  wetilth  she 
has  enough  of  them)  may  clamor  for  employment  and 
cheap  bread,  it  appeals  to  deaf  ears,  she  has  no  time  to 
act,  think  upon,  or  talk  about  the  internal ^trade  ;  it  is  a  too 
hum-drum  affair;  the  enlargement  of  the  Erie  Canal,  re- 
duction of  tolls  and  cheapened  transport,  that  her  poor 
may  derive  employment  and  chea]3  bread,  is  of  no  imj^or- 
tance  whatever;  but  it  is  of  the  highest,  that  their  eyes 
should  feast  upon  the  sight  of  little  wooden  mice  and 
other  toys  of  Europe  introduced  into  the  country,  under  a 
low  tariff. 

If  the  vast  volume  of  tr'ade  furnished  by  the  Erie  Canal 
to  the  city  of  New- York,  is  too  small  to  deserve  notice, 
I  should  like  to  inquire  where  the  greater  is  to  be  found  ? 


OF    THE    STATE    OF    NEW-YORK,  67 

The  following-  remarks  and  tables  taken  from  the  Albany 
Arg-us,  refer  to  that  portion  of  the  Canal  commerce  only, 
which  reaches  tide  water: 

"  The  Commerce  of  the  Canals. — We  have  prepared  from 
official  sources,  the  following  table  of  the  commerce  of  the  canals 
of  the  State  for  the  past  season. — It  presents  a  very  gratifying  re- 
sult of  the  year's  business,  and  exhibits  in  strong  colors  the  wealth 
of  our  State  and  of  the  West. 

"Accojnpanying  the  table  showing  the  movement  from  and  to  the 
Hudson  for  the  past  season,  is  a  similar  one  of  the  movement  for  the 
season  of  1845. 

'•  It  will  be  seen  that  there  is  an  increase  in  the  tonnage  of 
172,579  tons,  and  of  $14,826,462  in  the  value  of  the  property 
transported,  and  the  excess  both  in  toimageand  value  over  previous 
years  is  still  greater. 

''  The  value  of  the  entire  movement  of  property  from  and  to  the 
Hudson,  is  greater  by  $4,490,353  than  the  exports  of  the  United 
States  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  July,  1844,  and  greater  by 
$7,297,845  than  the  value  of  the  goods  imported  into  the  United 
States  for  the  same  time. 

'•  These  facts  speak  volumes  in  favor  of  the  importance  of  this 
commerce,  not  only  to  this  State,  but  in  a  national  point  of  view,  as 
worthy  the  attention  of  the  General  Government. 

Statement  of  all  the  property  which  came  to  the  Hudson  River,  on  all 
the  Canals,  in  1845  and  1846,  with  the  quantity  and  estimated  value  of 
each  article  in  Alhany  and  Troy. 

THE  FOREST. 

aUANTITY. 

1845.  1816. 

Furs  and  ])eltry,  lbs 708,749  810,150 

Boards  and  scanding,  feet 237,924,666  260,231,271 

Shingles,  M 72,120  69,827 

Timber,  feet .- 2,492,668  1,798,198 

Staves,  lbs 139,754,800  106.152,500 

Wood,  cords 17,696  11,832 

Ashes,  bbls 69,668  46,812 

VALUE. 

Furs  and  peltry $    873,436  1,021,385 

Boards  and  scantling 4,044,720  4,422,936 

Shingles 234,390  244,378 

Timljer 498,534  251,090 

Staves   628,898  51.3,432 

Wood 86,258  59,160 

Ashes 1,39.3,360  1,076,904 


68  THE   TRUE   CANAL   POLICY 

AGRICULTURE. 

QUANTITY . 

Pork,  bbls 45,153  80,092 

Beef,     "    67,699  45,600 

Bacon,  lbs 1,631,700  4,000,500 

Cheese," 27,542,861  35,569,118 

Butter,     " 21,825,455  21,477,657 

Lard,       " 3,064,800  6,721,000 

Wool,      " 9,504,039  8,866,376 

Hides 293,009  340,900 

Flour,  bbls 2,517,250  3,063,441 

Wheat,  bush 1,620,033  2,950,636 

Rye,         "    157,438  321,799 

Corn,        "    35,803  1,610,149 

Barley,     "    1,137,917  1,427,933 

Other  grain,  bush 1,294,609  1,920,800 

Bran  and  ship  stuffs,  bush 1 ,067,665  1,468,232 

Peas  and  beans,  bush 66,175  96,800 

Potatoes,  bush 145,569  230,939 

Dried  fruit,  lbs 360,966  1,502,900 

Cotton,  lbs 66,800  445,100 

Tobacco," 670,900  2,609,100 

Clover  and  grass  seed,  lbs 3,161,200  1,094,400 

Flax  seed,  lbs : 8,303,960  5,283,700 

Hops,  lbs 874,200  1,690,500 

VALUE. 

Pork $      571,637  800,925 

Beef. 507,743  364,800 

Bacon 118,299  290,037 

Cheese 1,921,000  2,844,537 

Butter 3,055,564  3.220,633 

Lard 245,184  498,810 

Wool 2,946,252  2,571,415 

Hides 36,627  42,613 

Flour 14,021,081  15,470,171 

Wheat 1,941,869  3,366,141 

Rye.. 111,002    .  232,304 

Corn 21,479  1,126,854 

Barley 671,371  810,933 

Other   grain 491,951  710,474 

Bran  and  ship  stuffs 160,150  220,181 

Peas  and  beans 70,145  96,800 

Potatoes 58,076  114,686 

Dried  fruit 32,477  135,261 

Cotton 5,177  34,495 

Tobacco 80,508  313,092 

Clover  and  grass  seed 221,284  76,608 

Flax  seed 166,079  131,943 

Hops 157,356  185,955 


OF    THE   STATE    OP    NEW-YORK. 


69 


MANUFACTURES. 

QUANTITY . 

Domestic  spirits,  galls 1,588,601 

Leather,       lbs 15,363,925 

Furniture,      "     2,561,624 

Bar  and  pig  lead,  lbs 223,500 

Pig  iron,  lbs   8,031,218 

Bloom  and  bar  iron  lbs 

Iron   ware,    lbs 4,665,388 

Domestic  woolens,  lbs 1,407,529 

«         cottons,    "     1,879,446 

Salt,  bbls 172,968 

Merchandise,  lbs 505,708 

VALUE. 

Domestic  spirits, $      444.800 

Leather 2,765,507 

Furniture,    256,162 

Bar  and  pig  lead, 8,940 

Pig  iron, 140,.546 

Bloom  and  bar  iron, 

Iron  ware, 186,615 

Domestic  woolens, 1,900,629 

"         cottons 582,628 

Salt, 147,023 

Merchandise, •        88,497 

OTHER  ARTICLES. 

QUANTITY. 

Stone,  lime  and  clay,  lbs 55,344,593 

Gypsum,    lbs 12,263,800 

Mineral  coal,  lbs 47,798,300 

Sundries,  lbs 83,237,259 

VALUE. 

Stone,  lime  and  clay, $      83,016 

Gypsum, 27,656 

Mineral,  coal, • 119,496 

Sundries,   3,329,490 

AGGREGATES. 
1845. 

Forest,         tons 607,930 

Agriculture,    "   447,627 

Manufactures," 49,812 

Merchandise,  " 253 

Other  articles  " 99,321 

Total,  tons '1,204,943 


1,426,549 

5,160,654 

2,226,114 

489,800 

10,574,640 

10,892,243 

1,219,091 

1,425,340 

2,324,774 

092,442 

3,594,322 

313,600 

928,918 
223,611 

19,592 
182,.574 
265,222 

43,830 

1,923,390 

719,787 

180,035 

276.872 


44,200,033 
12,084,100 
18,846,600 
90,811,614 

63,170 
26,933 
47.116 

3,633,257 


^     7,759,596 

27,612.291 

6,432,259 

83,497 

2,559,658 

$45,452,321 


70  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY. 

1846. 

Forest,         tons 603,010  $8,588,291 

Agriculture,     *' 628,454  33,662,818 

Manufactures," 46,076  4,805,790 

Merchandise,  " 1,797  276,872 

Other  articles," 82,982  3,770,476 

Total,  tons 1,362,319  $51,105,256 

Statement  of  the   tonnage  and   value  of  all  the  property  which  went  from 
the  Hudson  River,  on  all  the  canals  in       1845         and  1846 

Tonnage,  tons 224,013  239,216 

Value $55,453,998  $64,627,524 

Aggregate  movement  from  and  to  the  Hudson  River  during  the  years  1845 
and  1846,  and  the  aggregate  value  of  the  property  transported. 

1845.  1846. 

Tonnage,  tons 1,428,956  1,601,535 

Value, $100,906,319  $115,732,780 

From  these  tables  it  appears,  that  the  merchandise 
shipped  from  tide  water  on  the  Canal  is,  for  1845,  224,- 
013  tons,  and  for  1846,  239,216  tons,  showing-  an  increase 
in  '46  of  15,203  tons.  Of -the  239,216  tons  cleared,  58,074 
was  landed  at  Buffalo,  paying  toll  the  whole  length  of  the 
canal,  and  at  Oswego  21,193,  together  79,267  tons,  or  one- 
third  of  the  whole. — Of  the  15,203  tons  increase,  6,776 
passed  Buffalo  to  the  Western  States,  how  much  increase 
has  passed  Oswego,  I  cannot  tell,  as  I  have  not  the  Canal 
Office  reports  of  that  place  in  sufficient  detail,  but  of  the 
whole  receipts  there  in  '46,  of  21,193  tons,  they  exported 
to  the  Western  States  7,847  tons,  to  Canada,  5,693  tons, 
and  the  balance  was  for  that  place  and  other  American 
towns  around  Lake  Ontario.  I  give  these  details  to  show 
where  the  increasing  ascending  trade  on  our  Canals  is 
o-oins"  to.  Of  the  increase  of  172,679  tons  of  descending 
tonnage,  the  sources  from  which  it  comes  is  too  obvious  to 
need  any  remarks. 


OK    THE    STATE    OP    NEW-YORK.  71 

The  Wall  Street  reporter  of  January,  '47,  has  published 
a  condensed  statement  of  the  foreig-n  trade  of  the  country, 
as  follows : 

"  The  following  is  an  aggregate  statement  of  tlie  value  of  the  ex- 
ports, of  the  growth,  produce,  and  manufacture  of  the  United  States, 
for  the  year  ending  30th  June,  184().  There  is  a  shght  increase  in 
the  aggregate  amount,  as  compared  with  last  year,  but  the  amounts 
of  the  ditierent  articles  exported,  in  many  instances  differ  very  wide- 
ly in  the  two  years.  Of  the  total  amount,  $78,634,410  was  export- 
ed in  American  vessels,  and  $23,507,483  in  foreign  vessels: 

The  Sea •  •  •  • $3,453,.S08 

Thk  Forest — Skins  and  furs  and  ginseng 1,300,.^)71 

Product  of  wood, 5,506,677 

Agkiculture — Product  of  animals 7,833,864 

Vegetable  food, 19,329,586 

Tobacco, 8,578,270 

Cotton, 42,767,341 

All  other  agricultural  products 214,455 

Manufactures — 4,921,995 

Of  cotton, 3,545,481 

Other   fabrics, 1,101,878 

Lead 614,518 

Wool 203,995 

Articles    not    Enumerated — ^Manufactured 1,379,566 

Other 1,490,303 

$1027141,808 

A  comparison  of  the  tables  of  the  Arg-us  and  Rep/brter, 
shows  tliat  while  the  foreign  export  trade  of  the  country 
is  increasing  very  gradually,  the  internal  trade  through 
the  Erie  Canal  is  augmenting  rapidly,  and  is  now  in  value 
many  millions  of  dollars  greater  than  the  entire  foreign 
export  trade. 

The  Erie  Canal  landed  at  tide  water,  as  given  in  the 
tables  of  the  Argus,  3,063,441  barrels  of  flour ;  of  this 
number  the  Boston  Rail  Road  carried  away  396,839  bar- 
rels ;  and  after  supplying  the  local  markets  of  Albany 
and'Troy,  and  shipping  by  water  of  many  thousands  of  bar- 
rels to  Eastern  markets,  I  find  the  quantity  that  went  di- 
rect to  the  city  of  New- York,  from  a   statement  published 


72  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY 

in  the  Herald  of  that  city.  It  may  not  be  improper  to  ob- 
serve, that  the  Herald  uses  the  term  "  Hudson  River"  in- 
stead of  Erie  Canal,  in  stating-  the  sources  from  whence 
this  larg-e  quantity  reached  there.     That  paper  says  : 

"Below  will  be  found  a  statement  of  the  receipts  of  flour  and 
wheat  at  this  port,  and  the  exports  to  foreign  ports,  from  January 
1  to  December  31,  inclusive,  for  the  years  1845  and  1846.  The 
increase  in  the  import  of  flour  this  year,  it  will  be  seen,  is  58.5,237 
barrels,  and  of  wheat  1,060,428  bushels.  The  increase  in  the  ex- 
ports is  723,908  barrels  flour,  and  1,172,702  bushels  wheat:" 

MOVEMKNTS    IN    BrEADSTUFFS — PoRT    OF    NeW-YoRK. 

Receipts  of  Flour  at  New-  York,  from  January  1  to  December  ^l.,  inclusive: 

VIA-  1846.  1845. 

Hudson  River,  bhls 2,280,638  1,700,198 

New  Orleans, 70,043  87,704 

Southern    ports, 197,7 15  175,257 

Total  for  the  vear,    2,548,396  1,963,159 

Increase  in  1846,  bbls 585,237 

Receipts  of  Wheat  at  New- York.,  from  January!  to  Decetnber  21, 
inclusive. 

VIA-  184G.  1845. 

Hudson  River,  bush 1,172,646  289,089 

New  Orleans, 401,365  83,937 

Southern  ports 94,242  234,799 

Total  for  the  year 1^8;253  "607,825 

Increase  in  1846,  bushels, 1,060,428 

Exports  of  Flour  and  Wheat  from  Jan.  Isi  to  Dec.  31  si. 

1845.  1846.  Increase. 

Flour,  bbls 469,.520     1,193.428       723,908 

Wheat,  bu 3t)4,654     1,477,356    1,172,702 

The  aggregate  receipts  of  flour,  after  reducing  the  wheat  to  flour, 

at  the  rate  of  five  bushels  per  barrel,  was — 

1845.  1846.  Increase. 

Barrels- 2,084,724     2,882,047     723,908 

The  aggregate  exports,  reducing  the  whole  to  tlour,  was,  in 

1845.  1846.  Increase. 

Barrels .' 520,451     1,488,899     797,323 

"The  increase  in  the  exports  of  1846,  compared  with  1845, 
amounts  to  nearly  two  hundred  per  cent.  A  more  flattering  and 
encouraging  exhibit  than  this,  could  not  well  be  expected  or  re- 
quired." 


OF    THE    STATE    OF    NEW-YORK.  id 

It  does  not  state  the  quantity  of  corn  received,  but  from 
another  paper  I  have  seen  a  statement,  and  find  it  about 
equal  to  wheat,  and  derived  from  the  same  sources  and  in 
the  same  proportion  from  each.     This  table  g-ives  a  strong- 
view  from  whence  the  freio-ht  is  derived,  which  loads  the 
many  ships  now   leaving-   New- York   for  Europe.     The 
article  of  corn,  (by  the  destruction  of  the  potato  crop,)  has 
become  an  established  article  of    commerce    to  the  old 
world,  and  the  demand  for  it  will  be  annually  increasing-, 
the  better  it  becomes  known.     It  is  a  cheap  article  in  the 
Western  States,  and  raised  in  immense  quantities,  and  if 
our  Canal  was  enlarg-ed,  tolls  reduced,  and  by  these  means 
transportation   cheapened,    any   desirable  quantity   could 
reach  the  sea-board. — The  reduction  in  the  tolls  last  year' 
of  about  three  cents  a  bushel,  caused  1,610,149  bushels  to 
reach  tide  water  in  1846,  against  35,803  bushels  in  1845. 
This  article  alone  has  g-iven  10,000  bushels  freig-ht  each  to 
one  hundred  and  sixty  ships  from  New- York.     Has  this 
small  reduction  of  tolls  on  this  single  article  been  of  no  use 
to  New- York  foreign  commerce  ?     And  has  it  not  greatly 
increased  the  business  of  the  State,  as  well  as  added  large- 
ly to  the  revenues  1     The   Commissioners   of  the  Canal 
Fund,  in  a  recent  report,  state  the  gain  in  revenue  to  be 
$80,000,  and  to  the  forwarders  $100,000  in  freight.  * 

Other  tables  publislied  in  the  New- York  papers,  show 
that  the  exports  of  agricultural  products  shipped  from  that 
city  the  first  twenty-two  days  in  December,  were  as  fol- 
lows : — 

Flour,  bbls 149,600 

Wheat,  bush 179,500 

Corn,     "    154,000 

Rye,       "    60,000 

Barley,  "    19,450 

Oats,       " 10,300 

I 


74  THE    TRUE    CANAL    POLICY 

From  the  first  of  January  to  31st  December,  1846,  the 
total  shipments  of  the  same  articles  were — 

Wheat  flour,  bbls 1,193,428 

Rye  flour,         "    12,145 

Corn  meal,       "   108,813 

"         "        hhds 4,846 

Wheat,  bush 1,477,356 

Corn         "   1,489,459 

Rye,  barley  and  oats  not  reported  in  the  table. 

The  above  flour  and  meal,  reduced  to  grain,  and  adding* 
the  rye,  oats  and  barley,  form  an  ag-gregate  little  short  of 
ten  millions  of  bushels. 

The  most  extraordinary  activity  is  now  going  on  in  the 
shipment  of  bread  stuffs  from  New-York.  The  last  pa- 
pers from  that  city,  state  that  sixty-seven  of  their  largest 
ships  were  busily  loading  with  provisions  of  all  kinds,  for 
Europe.  The  demand  for  shipping  is  so  great  that, 
although  freights  have  risen  near  300  per  cent,  over  the 
usual  and  common  rates,  ships  cannot  be  found  to  meet  the 
pressing  demand.  This'  deficiency  in  vessels,  however, 
is  being  supplied  in  the  construction,  in  all  the  Northern 
sea-ports,  of  an  unusual  number,  and  of  greater  capacity 
of  burthen.  Life  and  activity  is  seen  in  all  their  ship-yards, 
among  ship-carpenters,  calkers,  riggers  and  the  numerous 
other  branches  of  mechanics  and  labor,  the  building  of 
ships  calls  into  requisition. 

Foreign  commerce  can  only  be  sustained  by  promoting 
and  increasing  the  internal  trade  of  the  country.  If  we 
have  nothing  to  sell,  we  can  buy  nothing.  We  cannot  deal 
with  money  alone, — we  have  not  enough  of  it.  A  foreign 
trade  carried  on  only  by  money,  requires  but  few  ships  and  . 
men  to  do  tlie  whole  business  of  the  country.  Whereas 
our  own  internal  products,  being  generally  of  a  heavy  and 
bulky  character,  call  into  requisition  a  great  many  ships  to 


OF    THE    STATE    OF    NEW-YORK.  75 

carry  it  off,  and  employ  a  vast  amount  of  labor  in  a  thou- 
sand ways,  to  move  it. 

How  trade  throug-h  the  Erie  Canal  can  be  increased,  is  an 
important  question.  Two  years  ag-o  the  Canal  Board  be- 
came satisfied  that  an  entire  revision  in  our  canal  tarif  of 
tolls  was  necessary.  That  the  Erie  Canal  had  ceased  to  be 
the  only  channel  to  and  from  the  Western  States,  to  the  sea- 
board. That  g-reat  reductions  in  the  tolls  must  be  made 
if  we  desired  to  retain  the  command  of  the  g-reat  internal 
trade  of  the  country.  That  unless  this  reductioji  was 
made,  the  ascending-  trade  on  our  canals  would  greatly  di- 
minish, and  althoug-h  the  products  of  the  West  mig-lit  con- 
tinue to  use  our  canals  as  a  channel  to  market,  the  larg-e 
manufactures  in  our  own  State,  of  iron,  steel,  nails,  ^spikes 
and  other  heavy  but  cheap  articles,  recjuiring-  cheap  trans- 
portation to  afford  any  profit  to  the  buyer,  as  well  as  sug-ar, 
molasses,  coffee,  dye-woods,  hardware  and  crockery,  would 
cease  being-  purchased  from  us,  for  the  supply  of  the 
Western  States.  The  iron  city  of  Pittsburg-h,  with  her 
mountains  of  iron  and  beds  of  coal,  having"  a  short  canal 
connecting-  with  the  lake,  upon  which  the  toll  and  transpor- 
tation was  very  low,  would  supply  what  our  manufactories 
had  heretofore  done — the  Mississippi  lead  to  the  planta- 
tions where  sug-ar  and  molasses  were  made; — New  Orleans 
lay  within  a  few  days  sail  of  the  West  Indies,  where  there 
were  more  sug-ar  and  molasses,  and  where  coffee  and  dye- 
woods  were  grown  ;  and  the  ships  sailing-  direct  from 
England  to  N^w-Orleans  for  cotton,  would  carry  crockery 
and  hardware  on  low  freig"ht,  all  of  which,  would  find 
their  way  up  the  Mississippi  river  and  throug-h  the  different 
channels  opened  into  the  Western  States,  and  supply  that 
g-reat  demand  whicli  had  heretofore  been  our  own  ;  not 


T^ 


76  THE    TRUE    CANAL    POLICY 

only  so,  but  supply  Western  New- York  with  the  same 
articles  ;  thus  making  the  cities  of  Albany,  Troy  and  New- 
York,  merely  factors  to  sell  western  produce,  and  remit  the 
money  to  other  places,  to  purchase  return  supplies.  The 
great  increase  of  steamboats  on  the  Mississippi,  required 
to  take  the  down  freight,  would  cause  such  competition 
for  up  freight,  that  it  would  be  delivered  at  St.  Louis  and 
Cincinnati  from  New  Orleans,  for  what  was  charged  on  the 
Erie  Canal  for  tolls  alone,  from  Albany  to  Buffalo. 

Thesp  are  some  of  the  reasons  which  demanded  ^ 
change  in  our  canal  policy  then,  and  they  have  not  ceased 
to  operate  yet.  The  pork,  lard  and  corn  of  the  West,  are 
at  those  points  of  locality,  that  but  a  small  difference  in  the 
cost  o(,  transportation  determines  whether  New- York  or 
New-Orleans  shall  have  them;  time  and  climate  incline  to 
New- York,  cost  determines.  A  constitutional  difficulty 
existed  against  reducing  the  tolls  until  after  the  first  of  Ju- 
ly, 1845,  and  the  old  rates  were  permitted  to  remain  until 
the  close  of  that  year. 

During  the  year  1846,  a  new  tariff  of  tolls  was  in  ope- 
ration, equal,  as  the  Commissioners  say,  to  an  average  of 
14  per  cent,  below  that  of  1845.  So  strong  did  the  neces- 
sity appear,  for  a  great  reduction  on  those  articles  of  up 
freio-ht  which  would  reach  the  Lakes  from  Pittsburph  and 
the  Mississippi,  that  the  reduction  made  was  four-ninths, 
or  about  forty-five  per  cent.  That  this  large  reduction 
was  necessary,  is  proven  by  the  properly  that  did  reach 
the  Lakes  from  the  before  mentioned  source«,  in  1846. — 
At  Toledo  the  Miami  Extension  Canal  from  Cincinnati,  de- 
livered— 

Sugar,      lbs 1,290,085 

Molasses,  "     622,:334 

Cofibe,  groceries,  and  other  merchandise,  lbs.  r)42,566 


OF    THE    STATE    OF   NEW-YORK.  77 

At  Cleveland,  the  delivery  of  Pittsburg-h  iron  and  nails, 
was  11,527,908  pounds;  and  at  Erie,  throug-h  the  Erie 
Extension  Canal,  a  farther  supply  from  Pittsburg-  and  the 
Mississippi,  of#l,224,000  pounds  of  iron  and  nails,  and  335,- 
735  pounds  of  sug-ar  and  molasses,  all  of  which  went  to 
supply  markets  wliich  we  had  heretofore  considered  ex- 
clusively our  own. 

The  Canal  Board,  for  the  purpose  of  arriving-  at  the 
quantity  of  certain  property  passing-  up  the  canal,  has 
directed  the  Canal  Collectors  to  make  out  specific  state- 
ments. This  having-  only  been  done  this  year,  no  com- 
parison can  be  made  with  former  years.  The  returns 
from  the  Collector's  Office  in  this  city,  show  that  the  45  pei' 
cent,  reduction  caused  to  be  transported  the  whole  distance 
of  the  Erie  Canal  for  markets  west  of  Buffalo,  of — 
On  tolls  reduced  from  9  to  H  mills  i^er  1000  lbs.  per  mile. 

Sugar,    lbs 8,775,662 

Molasses,"     5,095,410 

Coffee,     "     6,734,110 

Nails  and  Spikes,  lbs 2,971,461 

Iron  and  steel,         "     4,179,083 

Crockery,  lbs 3,943,660 

Oysters,        "     79,662 

General  mdze — from  9  to  8  mills,  lbs 57,192,411 

Against  an  aggregate  in   1845  of  all  88,971,459 

at  9  mills  per  1000  lbs  per  mile, 75,426,363 

Showing  a  gain  of    lbs 13^545,096 

What  the  increase,  if  any,  has  Jpeen  in  the  quantity  of 
heavy  articles  transported,  cannot  be  determined.  But 
this  great  reduction  in  the  tolls,  did,  beyond  all  doubt,  secure 
to  our  manufacturers,  g-rocers  and  others,  a  larger  sale  of 
these  articles,  than  would  have  been  the  case,  had  no  re- 
duction been  made.  'And  the  only  mode  to  increase,  if 
not  to  preserve  this  business  is,  to  give  facilities  for  west- 
ern products  to  reach  our  markets  at  as  low  rates  of  trans- 
port, as    it   can  be   done.     This  can  be  done  only  by  the 


78  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY. 

action  of  the  State.  Where  individual  action  can  operate, 
as  on  the  Lakes  and  Ocean,  new  vessels  of  all  kinds  are 
multiplying*  in  numbers  and  g*reatly  increased  capacity  of 
burthen ;  on  the  Lakes  to  that  degree,  as  t«  make  many 
intelligent  men  apprehend  an  overdoing-  of  the  thing-.  But 
while  the  Canal  remains  as  it  is,  obstructed  at  different 
points  with  the  old  sized  locks  and  want  of  water,  no  addi- 
tional new  craft  will  be  put  upon  it  sufficient  to  lower  the 
price  of  transport.  A  larg-e  outlay  of  capital  in  this  way 
would  be  nearly  throwing  it  away,  because  when  the  Ca- 
nal is  enlarged,  the  small  sized  boats  could  not  be  run  in 
competition  with  the  new  ones  that  would  make  their 
appearance. 

It  cannot  be  expected,  (and  the  complaints  against  for- 
warders are  unjust,)  that  individuals  will  do  business  at  less 
rates  than  they  can  get  by  asking,  particularly  when  there 
is  more  business  for  them,  than  they  can  do.  Open  the 
avenue  to  a  sufficient  size  for  the  business,  and  individual 
enterprise  and  competition  will  quickly  fill  it  with  boats  of 
such  capacity  as  will  reduce  the  price  or  cost  of  transport. 

I  am  aware  that  the  new  Constitution  has  placed  strong 
restrictions  upon  the  finances  of  the  State.  But  it  has  not 
prohibited  all  expenditures  upon  the  canals.  After  provi- 
ding for  the  payment  of  the  interest  and  principal  of  the 
State  debts,  the  expenses  of  the  State  government,  and 
almost  every  thing  else,  from  the  canal  revenues,  it  then 
allows  whatever  of  surplus  there  may  be,  to  be  expended 
in  the  enlargement  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  finishing  of 
the  Genesee  and  Black  River  Canals.  The  surplus  of  1846 
now  on  hand,  and  that  which  will  "accumulate  in  '47,  '48 
and  '49,  will  amount  to  -92,000,000.  If  this  money  is  not 
wasted  by  dividing  it  amongst  all  these  works,  but  faith- 
fully devoted   to,  and  expended  upon  the  enlargement  of 


OP'    THE    STATE    OF    NEW-YORK.  7^ 

the  Erie  Canal,  this  great  thoroughfare  can  be  made  so,  that 
in  1850  it  can  secure  to  us  forever  the  great  Western  trade 
and  do  more  than  double  the  business  it  can  now  do,  and 
furnish  the  means  to  hasten  the  completion  of  the  other 
works  sooner  than  they  can  be  obtained  from  any  other 
source. 

In  a  conversation  I  have  had  recently  with  a  gentleman 
who  has  held  several  interviews  with  the  Canal  Commis- 
sioners on  this  subject — he  informs  me  that  they  estimate 
the  work  of  doubling  the  locks  between  Albany  and  Syra- 
cuse, and  placing  new  single  enlarged  locks  where  the 
small  sized  old  ones  remain,  between  Syracuse  and  Buffa- 
lo, and  giving  the  Canal  five  feet  of  water  throughout,  can 
be  done  for  $1,500,000,  and  within  the  three  ensuing  years. 
The  surplus  accruing  during  the  same  time,  exceeds  the 
estimated  amount  required  to  do  the  work.  This  would 
enable  boats  to  pass  the  whole  length  of  the  Canal  carry- 
ing 1,500  barrels  of  flour,  being  on  an  average,  more  than 
double  tliic  number  they  now  carry.  Boats  can  navigate 
the  Canal  from  Buffalo  to  Rochester,  carrying  4,200  bush- 
els of  wheat,  but  beyond  that  place,  there  are  remaining 
many  of  the  old  sized  locks ;  and  two  boats  and  two  setts  of 
hands  and  horses  are  required,  to  take  this  quantity  to 
Albany. 

This  trifling  expenditure  would  more  than  double  the 
capacity  of  the  Canal,  and  render  useful  the  vast  sums 
already  expended  for  that  purpose;  and  as  new  large  boats 
would  immediately  replace  the  present  small  sized  ones, 
double  the  amount  of  business  could  be  done,  widiout  in- 
creasing the  number  of  boats  and  lockages; — the  doubling 
of  the  locks  from  Syracuse  to  Albany,  where  boats  from  all 
the  lateral  canals  accumulate  in  the  main  trunk,  w6uld  facili- 
tate their  passing,  and  permit  an  increase  of  their  number. 


80  THE  TRUE  CANAL  POLICY. 

The  condition  of  the  State  of  New- York  is  an  enviable 
one;  the  payment  of  her  debts  has  been  secured  beyond 
all  contingency,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  public 
creditors.  The  Erie  Canal  only  asks  that^  after  having- 
provided  from  its  revenues  for  all  the  public  debts,  the 
surplus  of  its  earning-s  may  be  faithfully  devoted  to  its  en- 
largement, for  which  it  will  give  more  than  an  adequate 
return.  The  expenditures  and  embarrassments  of  other 
States  are  frequently  brought  into  review  by  many,  as  an 
awful  warning  to  the  People  of  this  State  against  incur- 
ring debt,  but  the  comparison  will  not  hold  good — theij 
expend  large  sums  hoping  to  get  business ;  we  only  ex- 
pend our  surplus  to  do  the  business  which  presses  upon 
us  faster  than  our  public  works  can  do  it. 

From  the  tacts  and  figures  I  have  presented,  I  think  I 
have  clearly  shown  the  necessity  of  something  being  im- 
mediately done  to  the  Erie  Canal,  to  enable  it  to  secure 
and  do  the  rapidly  accumulating  business  seeking  it  as  a 
channel  to  and  from  the  seaboard ;  as  well  as  pointing  out 
how  the  means  can  be  obtained  for  the  purpose. 

The  only  question  remaining  is,  shall  it  be  done  ?  If  so, 
much,  .very  much,  depends  upon  the  action  of  the  city  of 
New- York.  She  has  on  the  floor  of  the  Legislature  one- 
eighth  of  the  representation,  and  contains  about  one-eighth 
of  the  entire  population  of  the  State;  if  she  enters,  through 
her  representatives,  warmly  and  unitedly  upon  the  busi- 
ness, she  will  be  pi-omptly  backed  up  by  Western  New- 
York,  so  as  to  settle  the  matter  at  once.  To  her  pride 
and  to  her  interest,  I  make  the  appeal. 


It 

J-'- 


i 


LOT^ng  the  amount  and  description  of  Property,  r 


AimnMii/S't  iti:. 


L;ir<l. 

Wo(il.           1        Hides. 

IViun.l 

I'ciiii.l^.         1      PniinJs. 

l,720,947i  21,38(5 

,S37, 1 

2,-250,438  171,895 

,381.8 

2,775,243    92,322 

256,407    19,348 

42-09 

352,081    40,623 

■:f2W4 

r-M  mr;    jO.OdH 

V[MiyVAli\A 


OllTerGrain.  U 


440,244i  695,710| 
404,029  262,294' 
489,209  l,fi()6;017 
373,461  224^963 
265,858  255,127 
'',->d3,^9  485  062 


289  j 

7671 
949j 


109,2671 

33,069i 

541,904 


4,684 
I  2,904 

4-  77,202 


5  r^m 


o 




TABLES     Showing 

he 

""" 

nt  and  deecripti 

an  of  Prop 

rty. 

Li 

oived 

at  and  shipped  from  Baffal 

=^n_ 

the  SRIS 

CANAL,  in 

the  years 

1843 

18411    1S4S    > 

„d    1846 









. 

TABLB  NO  1 
mo, .V.b,...", 

■i,''",?!,.  ""■"". 

--.-■^'  ■■      " 

,'  .Z'}VR\ 

\„.:i,i 

HteMpn,...!"'.  ■ 

;;     .f1  ".! 

30O 

;;    lid 

"* "" 

::      ::  | 

::                       i 

4,310 

::     :: 

\i:B 

.. 

flonn'    i.7j(i,    .. 

1.014 

•■.J 

18,0.10 

II 

.1.137 

ILinoi. / 

nil 

,,.„.    ,  ,,,      .„„-,                j      ,.  ... 

:  1  ■'- '  ■       "     1     ■  1 

VA-ii 

.. 

■■ 

8.1 

ii:i,ni7 

wi.: '■"::] 

"::^a  ■■„„„ 

i' 

"=j3  ':^ 

■■  :;i ' 

:; 

■.■,.03 

8.100 

.WSJ 

4.UUU 

MH 

;:  '  ::     :: 

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sii 

.J.lj    .. 

i'!° 

S,1B<I 

"mt 

"      "  1  '.'. 

310,300 

^'',',' ,  - , , ' 

i-Hi-1           nfin 

l.«T( 

344,000 

I.S01 

afivii     TO 

814.003 

3,07ftl   -■;. 

062 

10,601 

20,4111 

,. 

'oBOflSa 

,w,i,. i"".') 

;::;  i""'™ 

v« 

,ii.m 

IS 

"■'!!|  ;ij 

0J»,47S 

130*004 

"•'■"" 

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0,000 

".t" 

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l3:8M 

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'.'.  ].','■.. 

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■■      1,CS4I» 

1U<. 

00 

j- 

im.im 

•" 

ISO    aoT 

37,000 

457.100 

a4Mi4      !■ 

::    ::  1  ::  1  's 

3,101 

"" 

iwa 

OMOJ 

11.000 

30.000 

WIO 

lot 

10.78(1 

:!     ;; 

4,00if 

;:  ""."r"' 

314,040 

Kwiiua,,                          -ij, 

,. 

..  [    .. 

■740       ■ 

1M03 

•1     " 

'o,371 

..      ;t)  010.410 

:     60 

300.001 

14,101 

..  1 

3,581 

BU1I,UBU 

""*;;"'■                  [\]' ' 

1157 

saO 

;i     :: 

.. 

..      ( 

)    4,,170 

IV.i,.^ ■^....  1^10 

rjio 

3.880,ieS 

TT! 

'sot 

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0,745 

;;,::!  ;: 

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;;    :;  '*?"•' 

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0,010 

•iS.'S-l...  ;;...    iMi 

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I-""™'"" 

""'"  ■■    "^ 

"-"     ™™ 

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^ 

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oftiaaoj      !! 

00.808 

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100.0*0^      •■ 

1   ". 

uir   .!"' 

;:ili«l:ii;:S 

:;«;» 

«,;»,i;;;,  • ..  ,i.;o;:;;i,sio«  • ::  i^ 

^1^"":''' 

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limJiU.^ 

ilil^Z.      n  liml'MliJii 

'ZZS.^  ::  i,.;i;:;»SM::.;s»  ss.„ss 

uiiS  S2S 

.iii'H 

77'.43 

:d'^l ;; 

:|  ',  ::  1  ;;  u::'-'^-  .,■ 'i~  ■■:--■ 

OK. i.u...i II, 

■',» 

:: 

~ 

■■.44 

l,O0> 
'  60 

"d  :: 

"33» 
,000 

TStU 

'Si  ;: 

'« 

e 

■» 

Is 

— liio 

2",isa 

\IZ 

V,9« 

... 

iilesT 

""^ 

l,U0,893 

i,03a.(«a 

E^ 

■■■ 

;; 

iU.7«.018 

a9/iT»,7ao 

«,sm",i»2 

S,U'»,030 

M^^n 

esioo. 

1.80i.WT 

.ooo'.m 

4ii™ 

no5.00Ii  10.000. 

.00J40  84,7001 

m,-M 

iiilliil 

iiii;,'r                I'-'i^ 

■j'|.-«n 

OM 

» 

40 

01  :: 

Dto 

ol 

7.938 

"4,0 

lo!l33 

070 

I.44&.04T 

18.807 

404.03( 

.:; 

e.0Mji*i 

U,t>Sa',044 

3,47'i..3 

l,a3Ma 

..m:-io 

"'^ 

M(<;^o. 

,.7.701 

,,,07 

BM03 

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